282 Transactions of the [Sess. 



" On the 27th October last (1859), a Red-Deer Stag of four points landed 

 on the north side of the island of Muck, one of the Inner Hebrides, belonging 

 to H. Swinbourne, Esq., R.N. The shepherd's family were startled by his 

 bellowing. Unfortunately his dogs broke out, and chased the poor animal 

 all night. In the morning he was found dead, though warm, his gallant 

 heart being, as it was expressed, broken. He must indeed have been a noble 

 animal to face the swim he so successfully though unfortunately accom- 

 plished. The nearest places on which Red Deer are kept are the island of 

 Rum, belonging to the Marquis of Salisbury,^ about ten miles distant, 

 and Arisaig, belonging to Mr Astley, about twelve miles distant. There are 

 also Red Deer in the island of Mull, more than twelve miles distant, but he 

 could not have come from thence, as there was a strong wind right against 

 him. From either Rum or Arisaig he might have shortened the distance by 

 landing on the island of Eigg ; but Muck is two miles from Eigg, and Eigg is 

 six miles from Rum and eight from Arisaig, and from either he must at all 

 times have had a strong side-tide against him. The distances are local esti- 

 mates, the existing charts being considered incorrect, and since hearing of 

 the above I have had no opportunity of consulting them. 2 . . . The late 

 Colin Campbell of Jura mentioned to me that he believed there was a well- 

 authenticated tradition of a Stag having swum from Jura to the mainland, a 

 distance of seven miles. " 



So far the correspondent of the ' Field' ; but I have been informed 

 by a Mr M'Kechnie, who was brought up at Ardlussa, at the north 

 end of Jura, that he recollects well when a lad (probably about the 

 years 1852 to 1855), that one autumn a tame Hind swam from 

 Ardlussa to a point on the mainland opposite, where it was ob- 

 served by a fisherman to land in the early morning. This Hind 

 was easily recaptured, being tame, and was returned to Ardlussa 

 in a boat. The distance across the channel here appears, from the 

 maps at my disposal, to be a little over five miles. From these 

 accounts you can form some idea of the swimming feats of the Eed 

 Deer; and it indicates to us pretty clearly the way in which in past 

 times these animals managed to reach some of the islands, such 

 as Colonsay and Oronsay, from which they have long disap- 

 peared. That they at one time were plentiful on the two islands 

 just mentioned is easily understood, when we remember the fre- 

 quency with which fragments of their bones and antlers are found 

 in the kitchen-middens of the ancient inhabitants. It is difficult 

 to say what may be the causes that prompt the Deer thus to seek 

 a new home. Perhaps it is sometimes the desire to find richer 

 pastures ; but it seems probable that more frequently the young 

 Stags, after those fierce fights for supremacy, when defeated, think 



1 The late proprietor, Farquhar Campbell, Esq. of Oronsay, offered the 

 island at public sale in June 1886, without getting a purchaser. He died 

 ■during the following August. 



2 The nearest point of Rum to Muck is about six miles ; from Arisaig to 

 Muck, about thirteen miles ; from Arisaig to Eigg, about seven miles ; the 

 nearest point on Eigg to Rum, about four miles ; and the nearest point on 

 Eigg to Muck, about three miles. 



