220 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



upon them with intense delight. The ground on which 

 they were feeding being very level, and observing that 

 the does were extremely wary, I thought the best way 

 to stalk them would be to cut in before them to wind- 

 ward, as they were proceeding in that direction, taking 

 care, of course, to keep out of their way sufficiently faT 

 tp insure their not getting my wind. I then crept back 

 from the ridge where I had observed them, and, de- 

 scribing a semicircle, crept in on my knees through 

 the large rough stones. The does came freshly on, and 

 inclined their course to the spot where I lay flat on my 

 belly awaiting their forward movement. They contin- 

 ned to approach until one fine old doe was within range 

 of my rifle. When, however, they had come thus far, 

 they seemed all at once to change their minds, and, 

 after feeding about for a few minutes, they took anoth- 

 er tack, and altered their course from east to north. I 

 then divested myself of my shoes and shooting-belt, and 

 commenced following them up. 



Presently, however, I observed a wary old doe, which, 

 had fed awa^y among the trees apart from her comrades, 

 standing looking at me. My position was a very awk- 

 ward one ; but I dared not alter it, as this would have 

 lost me the day ; so I remained motionless as the rocks 

 over which I crept, and presently her patience was ex- 

 hausted, and she ceased to suspect me, and held on to 

 her comrades. I now made up my mind that it was 

 impossible to do any thing with them where they then 

 were, and that it would be best to watch them from a 

 distance until they should move into some more uneven 

 ground, where a stalker would have some chance with 

 them. 



Having thus resolved, I beat a retreat, and returned 

 to the ridge above, where I had at first made them out 



