Conveying our Game to the Boat 253 



in the breeze. It was eleven before we reached the 

 dingy, very tired and very hungry ; we regaled our- 

 selves on sardines and Australian meat, washed down 

 with a delicious glass of beer. Unfortunately it had 

 clouded over, and I was only able to get one obser- 

 vation of the sun and that none of the best. After a 

 couple of hours' rest, we managed to get the boat 

 afloat, and sailed a little further up the bay, when, 

 making her fast, we all started to bring our game in. 

 We had walked barely half a mile, when I saw a 

 fine buck jumping and skipping about not very far 

 from us. Directing my companions to halt, I ap- 

 proached warily ; but the deer, not liking my looks, 

 began to scamper off, when I took a chance shot, the 

 bullet falling short, but splashing the water alongside 

 him, for it was marshy ground. This had the effect 

 of stopping him, and he turned round to look from 

 whence it came, offering me a fine shot. Raising 

 my sight to 300 yards, I fired ; the bullet passing- 

 through his head and killing him at once. He 

 proved to be a fine fat buck, and, overjoyed at our 

 success, we slung him on an oar and carried him 

 down to the dingy, mighty glad to get there, as our 

 shoulders were getting very sore. We then started 

 a second time in search of our first deer, and even- 

 tually found it about five miles and a half from the 

 boat. By this time we were all pretty well done 

 up, so we determined, as the easiest way of carrying 

 it down, to cut it up, which was accordingly done. 



