AUTUMN IN NORWAY. 
179 
to find them again. It was impossible to conjecture 
which way they might have turned after leaving view ; 
but a bit of genuine luck came to our aid. I was 
following up a gentle sinuous hollow, which, it seemed 
just possible, might have attracted their flight, when 
Hjumjpe (still on the leader) almost snapped a single 
grouse that rose within three yards. In an instant I 
realized that I had them. And a most curious bit of 
sport ensued. The grouse lay scattered all up and down 
that glen for a hundred yards or more, each bird 
squatting singly among rough heather and fern, 
demoralized, and ready to “ lie like stones.” Hjumpe, 
on being let go, speedily found bird after bird; but as 
he utterly declined to “ stand,” it became necessary for 
the gun to keep within shot of his dog ! This meant 
rushing hither and thither at racing speed across rocks, 
bogs, and deep scrub, jumping, bumping, shooting, and 
reloading at a run. Hardly a breath of “ wind ” 
remained when we luckily caught Hjumpe , and, having 
lashed him to a tree, enjoyed a respite. Then the wild 
chase was renewed, and ere the last bird was found, 
Helmar had gathered in his bulging pockets three brace 
more, making a total of sixteen out of the original 
twenty—and this with only a half-bred elk-dog. 
It was long past dark ere we reached our sseter- 
home. Besides a basket of trout, W. had got a brace of 
hazel-grouse, and the manner of their death was cha¬ 
racteristic :—-After firing a “ flukey ” snap-shot at one 
through dense branches and foliage, he saw another fly 
up and alight. Having “ potted ” this, he found both 
birds lying dead together. Beautiful as he is, I fear the 
hazel-grouse cannot boast a good sporting character. 
