SPORT AND TRAVEL in 



high. This idea I endeavoured to convey in panto- 

 mime to my companion, for I could not speak a word 

 of Turkish; but he gave me to understand by very 

 expressive signs that I was mistaken, and that the 

 stag had passed on after the hinds. Now the Turkish 

 hill men are extraordinarily keen-sighted, and I there- 

 fore came to the conclusion that my shikarry had 

 really caught a glimpse of the stag moving forwards, 

 which I had missed. The wind being favourable, we 

 now proceeded to climb cautiously up the well-wooded 

 hillside towards the spot where I had last seen the 

 stag, but from which I thought he had moved. My 

 companion was in front and had almost reached the 

 crest of the rise, when he suddenly ducked his head in 

 a way that assured me he had seen something. I was 

 close behind him, and without waiting an instant, 

 pushed past him with my rifle at the ready. I was just 

 in time to see the head and horns of the great stag, 

 as it rose from the spot where it had been lying and 

 dashed out of sight amongst the trees. I never caught 

 a glimpse of anything but its head and horns, as just 

 where it had been lying there was a thick growth of 

 underwood. However, I had been right, and my Turk- 

 ish hunter wrong, as to the stag having moved on; 

 and had we both only been certain that he had stopped 

 and lain down, I might very likely have compassed 

 his death. 



After this we followed his tracks for a long way 

 until they led us almost to the top of the moun- 



