264 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WA YS 
CHAP. 
which penetrated into the free opening. Upon 
reaching this, I found an area of about 2 acres 
perfectly free from bushes, but filled with rank 
grass and sedges, about 2 feet high. It struck 
me that the two wapiti stags would in all 
probability pass through this opening upon their 
arrival in the covert. 
Hiding myself beneath a thick bush, from which 
I could command every portion of the open space, 
I waited patiently, having left my two men concealed, 
together with the horse, at a considerable distance. 
Nearly half an hour passed away in expectation ; 
I was cramped in my stooping position, and I slowly 
rose to stretch my limbs. As I stood upright, I 
caught sight of a pair of antlers just emerging from 
the thicket on my left. I slowly sank into my 
former position. First one and then another large 
stag issued from the wood. They walked very 
slowly along the verge of the thicket, occasionally 
halting to take a mouthful of grass, and feeding as 
they went. 
When exactly opposite my position, I took aim 
at the leading stag and fired ; at the same time I 
ran towards the spot. The bullet struck the 
shoulder, and the stag reeled to and fro, sometimes 
falling on its knees, and in this way blundered into 
the thicket, but fell dead just as I arrived. Hearing 
a great rush, and seeing that the stag was safe, I 
continued to run forward; within 50 yards I 
emerged upon the open, and found myself upon 
a hog’s back sloping ridge of only a few yards’ 
