86 DEER-STALKING. 



me. I mechanically reloaded, not with any intention 

 of shooting again, but from pure force of habit. An old 

 hind was leading the herd, and suddenly, for no reason 

 that could be made out, she turned sharp to the left* 

 taking the whole lot with her, and they began to gallop 

 past us broadside on, about two hundred yards away. 

 We instantly recognized the altered position of affairs. 

 Again hope runs high as Donald whispers, " Steady, sir ; 

 that's him, last but three." I bring the foresight about 

 two feet in front of his chest, and press the trigger ; the 

 royal falls stone dead in his tracks, without so much 

 as a struggle. Overjoyed at this, the other barrel was 

 emptied at the best stag to be seen clear of the 

 rest, and he also fell mortally wounded. We rushed 

 in at once, but the royal needed no attention, and 

 I stayed to admire him while Donald gave the coup 

 de grace to the other one. The big stag was struck 

 right in the very centre of the heart, and though of 

 course it was where --the bullet was intended to go, I 

 could not help feeling it was very lucky to have placed 

 it so exactly; for he was going as hard as he could 

 gallop, and we paced it two hundred and twelve paces : 

 and allowing for small undulations it might fairly be 

 put at one hundred and eighty yards as the crow flies. 

 I fully intended to put the rifle sight rather more in 

 front of the smaller stag, but he was hit a foot behind 

 the heart, through the kidneys, and fell two hundred and 

 forty paces distant. By the time they were gralloched, 

 lunch eaten, and the stalk discussed, it was near three 

 o'clock. Suddenly it struck me that it was Saturday, 

 and unless we could get the royal home that evening. 



