fresh breeze. It was a tempting shot, and taking a very steady aim I
fired. For a moment he was down, but recovering himself he bounded up
the bank, and was soon in full speed through the forest with only one
antler upon his head. I picked up the fellow-antler, which the
rifle-ball had cut off within an inch of his skull. This was a narrow
escape.

I did not reload my rifle, as I was not far from the tent, and I was
tired of shooting. Giving my rifle to the gun-bearer, I took the
double-barrelled gun which he carried, and walked quickly towards
breakfast. Suddenly I heard a crash in a small nook of thick bushes,
like the rush of an elephant, and the next instant a buck came rushing
by in full speed; his long antlers lay upon his back as he flew through
the tangled saplings with a force that seemed to defy resistance. He was
the largest spotted buck that I ever saw, and, being within thirty
paces, I took a flying shot with the right-hand barrel. He faltered for
a moment, and I immediately fired the remaining barrel. Still he
continued his course, but at a reduced speed and dead lame. Loading the
rifle, I soon got upon the blood-track, and I determined to hunt him
down.

There were many saplings in this part of the forest, and I noticed that
many of them in the deer's track were besmeared with blood about two
feet and a half from the ground. The tracks in the sandy soil were
uneven--one of the fore-feet showed a deep impression, while the other
was very faint, showing that he was wounded in the leg, as his whole
weight was thrown upon one foot. Slowly and cautiously I stalked along
the track, occasionally lying down to look under the bushes. For about
an hour I continued this slow and silent chase; the tracks became
fainter, and the bleeding appeared to have almost ceased; so few and far