REINDEER-STALKING IN RYFYLKE. 
39 
the rest, and as they galloped past, broadside on, just 
under the opposite crest, I gave them two double shots 
at about 180 yards. Two deer dropped to shot, never 
to move again; a third fell, but recovered and followed 
the herd. The survivors had now disappeared beyond 
the further hill, where a deep corrie hid them from 
view; but five, turning short, reappeared galloping 
in single file along the same hill-face by which they 
had come in. It was a very long shot, right across the 
lake, apparently about 300 yards ; but I put up the long- 
range flap, tried both barrels, and was surprised to see 
the leading buck fall dead to the first. The ball had 
passed through his neck, literally “ cutting his throat,” 
and he never gave a kick. The distance (as afterwards 
verified by W.) was 270 yards. The big bull was 
still standing on his legs, but his head hung down, 
swaying violently. Just after my eyes had returned 
to him, he fell over, dead, with a crash. Five deer 
now lay prostrate before us, but even this did not 
complete the tale; for, while we were busy gralloching 
No. 4, my eyes caught, on the sky-line above, the 
swaying horns of a deer in extremis. Leaving Lars 
to his gruesome business of butchering, I proceeded 
to stalk the disabled animal, which however gave some 
trouble. The poor beast, terribly shattered in the 
stomach, could only walk short distances ; but, con¬ 
stantly keeping the ridge, and always lying down behind 
a rock, it was an hour ere he gave me a chance to finish 
him by a shot at a hundred yards. 
Thus terminated the most successful interview I 
had ever enjoyed with big game. The whole affair, 
from first shot to last, I suppose had not occupied 
