AFTER GOAT ON THE MAINLAND 147 



struck low. My last chance was another shot 

 before he reached the thick cover, and, aiming 

 right over his back, I hit him, where I could not 

 say. He must have been 400 yards away 

 when I fired. On being hit, he stumbled for- 

 ward and turned right down hill into some 

 dense undergrowth which extended right down 

 to the creek. 



Having only one cartridge left, I sent 

 Thomson back to camp for cartridges, and sat 

 down behind the rock from which I had fired 

 to await events. My impression was that he 

 was badly hit and that we would have to follow 

 him up in the cover. To my surprise, I sud- 

 denly saw him come out of the cover and come 

 down to the creek. He was not more than 

 150 yards away and passing between a lot 

 of big boulders, and it looked as if he were 

 heading up the valley. 



Thinking it was my last chance, I fired and 

 saw the bullet hit a rock just over his back. 

 To my horror, I then realized I had left the 

 telescope sight screwed up to 300 yards. Worse 

 luck was to follow, for the shot turned him 

 and he came down the creek towards me, 

 very slowly and looking very sick. There 

 was I without a cartridge and a wounded 

 bear apparently walking on top of me. I lay 



L2 



