208 SPORT AND TRAVEL 



way to go I thought I had plenty of time, and there- 

 fore determined to go completely round my would-be 

 victim, climb the mountain well beyond him, and 

 come down on him from above. I did all this, and 

 took a long time doing it, as when I got near the 

 place where the wapiti had been lying, I advanced 

 very slowly, taking every possible precaution not to 

 disturb loose stones or make any noise. But at last 

 I realised that my labour had been in vain. The 

 wapiti was gone. He had got up and walked off 

 quietly, whilst I was making my way towards him 

 through the thick timber below the shoulder of the 

 mountain. 



My opinion now is that he saw me when I first 

 climbed on to the rock in the ravine far below him, 

 but as I was so far away did not think it necessary to 

 do anything more than keep an eye on me, as long 

 as I was in sight. When, however, I suddenly dis- 

 appeared, and did not reappear again within a reason- 

 able time, his suspicions were aroused, and to prevent 

 the possibility of an accident he got up and walked 

 off. I have been played the same trick by wild goats 

 (Capra cegagrus) in Asia Minor, and some antelopes 

 in Africa. I was soon on the tracks of the lost 

 wapiti, and followed them a long way, but never set 

 eyes on that wise old beast again, for though he had 

 never run, he had never halted ; and at last I had to 

 give him up, and had then got so far away that it 

 was after dark when I reached camp. 



