CH. XXV. APPROACH THE STAG. 87 



certain amongst the mounds where he was, that my 

 chance would be small. 



After a short survey I started off at my best 

 pace to the right, thinking that from the nature 

 of the ground I might succeed in getting into the 

 valley unobserved ; and once there, by taking advan- 

 tage of some hillock, I should have a tolerable chance 

 of approaching him. After what appeared to rae 

 a long tramp I came to a slight rise of the shoulder 

 of the hill : beyond this was a hollow, by keeping 

 in which I hoped to get down unobserved. It was 

 already past three, but the stag had not yet moved ; 

 so, keeping the tops of his horns in view, I began to 

 crawl over the intervening height. At two or three 

 places which I tried, I saw that I could not succeed. 

 At last I came to a more favourable spot ; but I 

 saw that it still would not do, however well the 

 dog behaved, and a capital stalker he was, imitating 

 and following every movement of mine, crouching 

 when I crouched, and crawling when I crawled. 

 I did not wish to leave him quite so far from 

 the deer, so I made another cast, and this time 

 found a place over which we both wriggled our- 

 selves quite unseen. Thank God ! was my excla- 

 mation, as I found myself in a situation again where 

 I could stand upright. Few people excepting deer- 

 stalkers know the luxury of occasionally standing 



