44 A SPORTING PARADISE 



several cows around him, and one saw me im- 

 mediately, and took alarm. I fired into the bull's 

 shoulder, inflicting a mortal wound : but he 

 went off, and I raced after him at top speed, 

 firing twice into his flank ; then he stopped, 

 very sick, and I broke his neck with a fourth 

 bullet." 



Since writing this chapter I have had the 

 pleasure of reading Mr. William J. Long's School 

 of the Woodsy published 1903. Mr. Long is 

 a true naturalist, and the few words of his 

 preface are facts beyond question. " They are life- 

 studies, and include also some of the unusual 

 life-secrets of a score of animals and birds shy, 

 wild creatures, mostly that hide from the face 

 of man and make their nests or their lairs deep 

 in the heart of the wilderness." 



Nature's school knows but one language, and 

 speaks to her pupil with an infallible voice. 

 I would not venture to compare myself with 

 Mr. Long, yet strangely a true harmony and 

 agreement exist between us, though we have 

 never met, and our opinions and observations 

 are probably unknown to each other. We are, 

 however, children of the woods. We have 

 listened to the sweet music of Nature's voice, 



