6 DEER-STALKING. 



one hundred and fifty to two hundred yards, and will 

 be a difficult, quick, and hurried one. With the large 

 charges of powder used in the express rifle of the 

 present day the same sighting will be equally good 

 whether the solid or hollow bullet be used. 



As illustrating the difference of the wound and 

 injuries inflicted by the two bullets, the writer one day, 

 being overtaken by dense mist as soon as he had 

 arrived on his beat, and all chance of using the spy- 

 glass being at an end, sat down in a deer pass to " wait 

 till the clouds rolled by." Having sat for nearly three 

 hours in the driest and most sheltered spot to be found, 

 sandwich and flash were produced, but hardly ready, 

 when the mist lifted, and the horns of a good stag were 

 seen coming through the pass about one hundred and 

 twenty yards distant. He was trotting fast, having 

 clearly been disturbed, and although straight down-hill, 

 offered a very pretty broadside chance. Snatching the 

 rifle, already loaded with a solid bullet, from the cover, 

 there was barely time to pull back the stops and take 

 a hurried shot. The stag rolled over and lay kicking, 

 and as we were on the point of running in, another 

 one appeared in the tracks of his leader, and instant 

 attention was directed to him. On seeing his struggling 

 companion he turned sharply back, and a short but un- 

 successful dash was made to cut him off, which he easily 

 defeated. Returning hastily to the first stag, we found 

 he had recovered his legs, was already out of shot, and 

 in a few minutes was across the march. Pulling out 

 the glasses we could see he was struck far back through 

 the kidneys, and we watched him go for quite two miles. 



