CHAP. XXXII.] A RUSH OF DEER. 251 
fusion as they hurried on to the pass through which they left the 
glen. The foremost stags were now passing one by one within 
forty yards of me; just at that point they had to make a spring 
over a kind of chasm in their road. I kept quite motionless, and 
they did not observe me, half concealed as I was amongst the grey 
rocks. Now came the hinds, with a noise like a rushing stream, 
amongst them were four or five stags; they were trotting quickly 
past me, when an unlucky hind caught sight of my rifle-barrel as 
a ray of the sun fell upon it; the rest of the herd took the 
alarm from her manner, and they all rushed through the pass in 
the most mad confusion. The difficult part was only a few yards 
in length, and once through this, they got into regular order 
again. But where is their lord and leader? I was afraid to look 
over my ambuscade for fear of turning him. Just as I was about 
to do so, however, I heard his step on the stones, and in the next 
moment he was in full view passing broadside to me, but going 
slowly and undecided whether to proceed or turn back, having 
perceived the panic of the rest of the flock. When he came to 
the difficult point where the rest had leaped, he halted for a mo- 
ment, looking round. The next moment my rifle-ball passed 
through the top of his shoulder, just too high; the blow, how- 
ever, knocked him down, and before he was up I had my gun in 
my hand; the poor brute rose, and looked wildly round ; not 
knowing where the enemy was, nor which way to go, he stood 
still, looking with anxious glance at his companions, who were 
galloping off up an opposite slope. Expecting him to drop dead 
every moment, I did not pull the trigger, but kept my aim on 
him. The way the rest had gone seemed too rough for him, and 
after standing for a minute gazing after them, he turned round 
with the intention, probably, of going down the hill tosome well 
known burn where he had been in the habit of bathing, and cool- 
ing his limbs. He twice fell to his knees before he had gone five 
yards, and then walked slowly away. I thought he might recover 
strength, and taking a deliberate aim, I fired. This time he fell 
without a struggle, perfectly dead. Donald joined me by the 
time I had bled him, and examined the shot-marks. One had 
broken the very top of his shoulder, but just missed the large 
arteries; the other ball seemed to have passed through his heart. 
The Highlander was vastly delighted at our getting the stag we 
