GROUSE SHOOTING 



capable of holding some thirty brace of grouse, and no light 

 weight, if, as occasionally happens, it is filled at the close of the 

 day. It is the theory of the laird that ponies cannot be taken 

 over the ground, and there is no doubt that there are many 

 excessively boggy hollows and awkward dykes ; but I confess 

 to being sceptical as to the alleged impossibihty, having seen 

 much of the instinctive capacity of a well-trained Highland 

 pony for finding its way across difficult country. However, 

 the gillies do not have a hard time of it. Their duty is to keep 

 out of sight of us, but within sound of a whistle, in case fresh 

 dogs or cartridges are wanted, and most of their time is spent 

 in lounging about until the end of the day's sport, when the 

 hamper has to be taken down to the dog-cart. Then it is a 

 sight to see how a tall Highlander can step out in spite of the 

 weight on his shoulders ; but your West Coast man is better 

 at an energetic spurt than at prolonged exertion. 



' The first part of our beat is up a low hill, mainly grass and 

 rushes, with only a few patches of heather ; still, it is worth 

 while to hunt it, as it is on the way, and there is nothing so 

 tiresome as a long walk to the ground. The principal inhabi- 

 tants are the ubiquitous rabbits, which here and now are a 

 nuisance, and nothing but it. When you see the side of a hill 

 literally alive with them in the late evenings, it is hard to 

 believe that men still living remember the first artificial intro- 

 duction of the rabbit into Argyleshire, and the prophecies that 

 they would never do in such a wet climate. 



' " Let Rake go ! " and off gallops a strong well-proportioned 

 setter, delighted to have the first turn — a distinction he owes 

 rather to his defects than to his merits, as it is now impossible 

 to spoil him. "Is that a very young dog?" says my com- 

 panion, rather new to the sport and misled by the frantic 

 activity of the debutant. " He is as old as a man," is the reply 

 of the keeper, — a slight exaggeration, but bordering on the 

 truth, for I can remember Rake almost as an institution. 

 What a hot day that was at Achoish, when, we ha^^ng toiled 

 all morning and found no birds, Rake caught the sheep by the 



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