XXVI THE 'STALK 241 



by crawling backwards down a little bank till only the "tops of 

 his horns were visible, and they served to show me that he 

 continued still. As he lay looking towards me, he commanded 

 with his eye three-fourths of the circle, and the other quarter, 

 where one might have got in :upon him under cover of the little 

 hillock, was unsafe from the wind blowing in that direction. ■ A 

 burn ran between him and me, one turn of which seemed to 

 come within two hundred yards of him. It was my . only 

 chance ; so, retreating about half a mile, I got into the burn 

 in hidden ground, and then crept up its channel with such 

 caution that I never allowed myself a sight of more than the 

 tips of his horns, till I had reached; the nearest bend to him. 

 There, looking through a tuft of rushes,. I had a perfect view of 

 the noble animal, lying on the open hillock, lazily stretched out 

 at length, and only moving now and then to scratch his flank 

 with his horn. I watched him for fully an hour, the water up 

 to my knees all the time: At length he stirred, gathered his 

 legs together, and rose ; and arching his back, he stretched 

 himself just as a bullock does when rising from his night's lair. 

 My heart throbbed, as turning all round he seemed to try the 

 wind for his security, and then walked straight to the burn, at a 

 point about one hundred and fifty yards from me. I was much 

 tempted, but had resolution to reserve my fire, reflecting that I 

 had but one barrel. He went into the burn at a deep pool, and 

 standing in it up to his knees, took a long drink. I stooped to 

 put on a new copper cap and prick the, nipple of my rifle ; and 

 ■■ — jn lookinsy up again, he was gone ! I was in despair ; and 

 was on the .point of moving rashly, when I saw his horns again 

 appear a little farther off, but not more than fifty yards from 

 the burn. By and by they lowered, and I judged he was lying 

 down. " You are mine at last," I said ; and I crept cautiously 

 up the bed of the burn till I was opposite where he had lain 

 down, I carefully and inch, by inch placed my rifle over the 

 bank, and then ventured to look along it. I could see only his 

 horns, but within an easy shot- I, was afraid to move higher 

 up the bed of the burn, where I could. have seen his body ; the 

 direction of the wind made that dangerous. I took breath for 

 a moment, and screwed up my nerves ; and then with my 

 cocked rifle at my shoulder and my finger on the trigger, I 

 kicked a stone, which splashed into the water. He started up 



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