162 DEER-STALKING 



after such an experience, so I limped as best I could 

 for the remainder of the distance, and reached home 

 at midnight. 



A few days after this chapter of accidents I hap- 

 pened to read an account of some anti-deer forest 

 meeting, when deer-stalking was described as being 

 at the present day an effeminate kind of sport ; no 

 exertion was required, no adventures were to be 

 met with ; it was altogether different from what 

 it used to be, and consisted in sitting in an arm- 

 chair and having half-tame deer driven past. I 

 wished the gentleman who made those remarks had 

 been seated on my old white pony, when the sheep 

 started him, instead of myself. After such a day he 

 would have found mother earth a very uncomfortable 

 armchair. 



I hardly like to close this chapter without 

 giving a few hints and suggestions on the actual 

 shooting of deer, though it should be clearly under- 

 stood that they are entirely the results of my own 

 experience, that it is not intended to dogmatise or 

 lay down absolute rules which must necessarily be 

 followed, and .that the remarks which are here made 

 must be taken for what they are worth, and no 

 more. 



Often have I known a man come from the hill 



