A DAY ON THE MOORS. 645 



is well known to be almost impossible to find game: it seems the 

 natural hour of the siesta on the muir. We sat down on a sweet spot, 

 green and beautiful, such as sometimes are to be met, like oases in 

 the desart, where we fancy we could live our lives out ; although I 

 have thought, on after reflection, that the fascination of these little 

 islands, as they seem, owes a good deal to the wearied limbs they 

 serve to repose. 



Here we rested in delightful, careless indolence : every thing was 

 still around ; the few sportsmen, over the wide extent of muir were 

 enjoying, like ourselves, the recreation of that interval. At times, 

 the howl of a dog under the whip broke the prevailing silence of the 

 hour ; then, perhaps, a shot would follow, and again low murmurs and 

 complaints from the bungling cur, who most probably had plunged 

 among the birds without giving warning, and was beat to save his 

 master's character, as well as to atone for his own offence. Then 

 would come some idle speculation about the success of our friends 

 some affectation of blame on our own doings, and a strenuous vindi- 

 cation of our dexterity from the flattering and obsequious gz//?/, who 

 soon learns the weak side of the sportsman, and plants himself there 

 as in a strong-hold. In this way the hour of resting was easily passed 

 away. There was a piece of ground still before me which I had re- 

 served for my return in the afternoon ; it was much broken into hags, 

 but was noted for the sport it generally afforded. Juno very soon 

 began to draw on game, and at length stood fast: now she went on; now 

 halted ; then moved cautiously forward ; at once she rushed in a dif- 

 ferent direction, and taking the wind with her, came down again, as 

 if she had got new instructions how to act in this dilemma, and dis- 

 appearing among the hags, remained concealed by the inequalities of 

 the ground. It was evident that this was an old cock who thus tried 

 Juno's patience. I moved forward without knowing exactly where 

 she was set ; and at this moment the bird rose, and made a low, strug- 

 gling-kind of flight along the surface of the heather. Poor Juno 

 could not resist the temptation of springing to seize him as he passed 

 the spot where she lay quietly couched, and at this unlucky crisis a 

 few pellets of my shot were lodged in the back of the faithful spaniel. 

 Juno howled, and looked reproachfully at her reckless master ; even 

 the dead bird that had wrought this trouble, had lost its power to 

 soothe. I coaxed, caressed, nay threatened, by turns, but she would 

 not quit the spot. She was but slightly grazed, but it was evident 

 my sport was over for this day. I do not choose to use harsh words 

 of my favourite, but, to say the least of it, she was both sulky and 

 wayward, and would not even follow me, but watched till I dis- 

 appeared, then would run forward till she caught a view, and again 

 lie down. Archy, more than once, suggested the application of his 

 nostrum for all canine perversities, and was loosing the whip from his 

 .shoulders with a look and action very significant of his meaning, but 

 I did not choose to understand him ; so that he was at length forced,, 

 most unwillingly, to adopt a much more disagreeable expedient, and 

 carry her on his own shoulders till we reached our quarters. 



I had bagged fifteen brace before this accident : it would have been 

 difficult to speculate upon what might have been the full amount of the 

 returns of killed, had it not been for the casualty to which I have alluded. 



