238 
A VOYAGE TO SPITZBEBGEN. 
speed, fearing to lose our party. Several shots had 
already been fired to inform us of their whereabouts, 
but these we did not hear; and when at length we 
came up with the others, they had given up the hope 
of meeting us and were returning to the schooner. 
We had decided to walk towards the deer killed 
during the previous night, concluding that a visit 
would be paid to that point, and we are so far success¬ 
ful. The luncheon we carried proved most acceptable. 
Coasting along the bay, we make up a party to stalk 
other deer we have seen to-day, and our hunt has 
proved more successful than we had looked for. We 
are so rich now we can share with a neighbour from 
our larder. We go again in search of three large stags 
not accounted for, and this time we take the M. H. 
express rifle. Its heavy weight, with all our practice, 
tells against our muscular structure, and while we 
write, we feel the effects- of carrying this useful 
gun, in certain pains about the hollow of our back; 
yet we killed all three deer before returning on 
board. The details of the sport, various and full of 
interest as they ever will be to ourselves, might 
cause weariness to the reader ; suffice it to say, then, 
that the second and third stags were shot in full 
view of the crew, who saw each scene in the act, and 
as the last stag rolled over dead from the shot, the 
