DEER -DRIVING IN MULL. 39 



jackal The island pair were mis-named Trim and 

 Yarrow by their Tweedside master (my farm 

 grieve), but the nondescript was more aptly styled 

 " the Ugly Buck." He was a cross-grained, eccen- 

 tric, unsociable, surly brute had to have his teeth 

 broken for biting the sheep would follow or obey 

 no one but his shepherd master, and when fairly 

 "blooded" at deer, considered himself discharged 

 from the meaner duties of sheep. Although Trim 

 and Yarrow had good noses, and stuck well to their 

 track, yet somehow I always felt most certain of 

 a shot when the covert rang with the wolf-like 

 howl of the Ugly Buck. 



The day after my landing in Mull was pour- 

 ing rain, but the following brightened up again. 

 Scarcely expecting above one chance, I only put 

 four bullets in my pocket, and took a single-barrel 

 seal-rifle, w r hich fitted me exactly. 



The manager, his two Mull shepherds, and their 

 three dogs, were sent to the far end of the Knock 

 plantation, while I guarded the Knock pass, and 

 my son watched the other escape to Torlochan 

 wood. The dogs had hardly been thrown into 

 covert when they opened full cry. I distinctly 



