REINDEER-STALKING IN RYFYLKE. 
37 
point, and twice a regular stampede among the younger 
beasts caused infinite anxiety in our breasts. They 
started at first to feed towards our left, threatening to 
pass out of reach, beyond the lake, but presently 
changed their route, and in zigzag courses made towards 
the head of the lake. It was curious to notice their 
hurried, petulant movements, very different from the 
casual, lethargic demeanour of the morning. Now they 
seemed to feed at a run, heads down, but hardly 
stopping to snatch the herbage. The big beast alone 
seemed deliberate, spending minutes on some succulent 
patch; and he was the last to disappear from our view 
in the grassy corrie at the head of the lake. 
The instant he was out of sight, we ran back to the 
ridge whence we had essayed the faulty stalk, and 
hurrying along its reverse slope, reached some rocks 
which overlooked the glen, but at too great a distance. 
One hundred yards ahead, and on a lower level, lay 
a single big boulder, and I saw that if we gained this 
we should command the further slope of the corrie at 
about one hundred and fifty yards. There was some 
risk, for the intervening ground was open : but we tried 
and succeeded, though the last few yards of the “crawl” 
was executed in presence of three deer that had already 
appeared in view, feeding away from us up the opposite 
slope. Others followed, and soon that rock-strewn bank 
was full of deer, peacefully grazing at about one 
hundred and fifty yards range. Soon many of these 
deer had fed forward over the ridge and out of our 
sight. Lars grew impatient, hissing, “ Shoot, shoot! ” in 
my ear. I knew that, for once, our sentiments dis¬ 
agreed—“meat” was naturally his idea ; while, for me, 
