68 DEER-STALKING. 



off a double event of unusually rare and pleasing 

 nature. 



On Monday, September the 13th, 1875, I awoke in 

 St. James's Street, with the intention of going to Don- 

 caster that afternoon to see the Leger run on the follow- 

 ing Wednesday. With the hot water came my usual 

 budget of morning letters : amongst them, one from a 

 friend asking rne to come up to him in the North ; to 

 excuse the short notice, and come as soon as possible. 

 The letter concluded " P.S. Mind you bring your rifle." 

 Now this could only mean stags, and " keen " was no 

 word to describe my longing to get a shot ; for much as 

 I had previously been in the North, I had never yet 

 had the good fortune to be on ground where there were 

 deer. I had, however, backed a horse for the Leger for 

 an amount which for me was a plunge, and had made 

 all arrangements to go and see him run for my money. 



For a few minutes indecision got hold of me, and then 

 the deer, and the name of the place I was going to, 

 carried all before them, and hastening to my sitting- 

 room, I sent off a wire to say I would start the same 

 night. From that moment my bet was forgotten, and 

 my whole thoughts concentrated on deer, and the fact 

 that the day after to-morrow might bring me face to 

 face with the chance I had been so long and so hotly 

 wishing for. 



In those days I did not possess a rifle, and was soon 

 on my way to my old friend, Stephen Grant, to borrow 

 the best he could lend me. He had only one left, in his 

 shop a '500 bore just come back from The Cape to 

 be overhauled. Gentlemen, he explained, were rather 



