THE PRACTICE OF DEER-STALKING 157 



his employer's interests. It ought not to be difficult 

 in such a dilemma to judge of the nature of the 

 wound. There is first the observation of the stalker, 

 when the shot is fired, as to the effect upon the deer ; 

 then comes the position in which the stag was when 

 hit ; lastly, his movements afterwards. If the wound 

 be only a skiff, no difference is observed in the carriage 

 of the animal from that of his companions. He does 

 not sicken or poke his head forwards, or show any of 

 the symptoms of being shot in the body. His head 

 is carried as erect, his action is as free as if nothing 

 had happened, and the only observable difference 

 between his conduct and that of the herd is a strong 

 and not unnatural inclination to put as long a distance 

 as possible between himself and his pursuers. In 

 other words, a slightly wounded stag often leads, a 

 badly wounded stag always follows the rest. 



Sometimes, however, it is more difficult to determine 

 where a stag is hit. I would give a good deal to be 

 able to ascertain in what part of the body I wounded 

 a stag, a few years ago, that I never found. The story 

 is remarkable, so I will tell it just as it happened. I 

 fired at a stag standing on the ridge of a * knowe ' and 

 surrounded by other deer. It was a long way from 

 home, and getting late in the day. We heard the 

 thud of the bullet, and I made no doubt we should 



