THE STALK. 33 



first time deer are found and plans for stalking them 

 discussed. 



In using the spy- glass, if the sun is shining at 

 your back, and you are spying straight down- hill, be 

 careful not to take the glass from the eye and hold 

 it so that the sun's rays pass through it; should 

 this precaution be neglected the deer will be treated 

 to a regular Crystal Palace display of fireworks which 

 they will not stay long to admire. The writer has 

 never heard of this matter being mentioned or noticed, 

 but it was vividly brought to his observation by the 

 loss of a shot at several good stags. It had been 

 agreed over-night that we should try and get at some 

 deer in a corrie where the stalking was very difficult, 

 and where there were usually some extra good stags. 

 One of us was to stalk and the other was to post 

 himself in a pass for which they usually made when 

 disturbed. We tossed for choice, and it fell to my lot 

 to proceed to the pass. There was a high steep hill 

 between the stalking party and this pass. After a long 

 wait we saw a great lot of deer come over the top 

 of this hill, and we knew that the stalk had failed. 

 They came right over the top, not much alarmed, 

 and wended their way to the foot ; there they halted 

 for about a quarter of an hour, and then began quietly 

 to come towards our pass. We had already picked out 

 the two best stags, and a good shot seemed certain, 

 but suddenly, and when about three hundred yards off 

 our hiding-place, the whole lot turned to the right- 

 about and made off full tilt, evidently much alarmed. 



We were certain they could not have seen us or got 



D 



