INTRODUCTION. 5 



them all their lives. But when the country was 

 thrown open by steamboats and railways, and the 

 natural consequences of better inns and convey- 

 ances above all, when good shootings at very 

 moderate prices were in the market, no wonder 

 that even the cream of England's aristocracy 

 looked forward to their autumn sojourn in the 

 North as the most charming portion of the whole 

 year. 



Thirty years ago there were no Scotch sporting 

 books, and the few English ones were merely 

 works of instruction and dry detail. Now, how- 

 ever, the Scotch books on mountain, forest, and 

 river sport occupy no mean place in our national 

 literature. How much these books stimulated 

 the demand for Scotch shootings it would be 

 difficult to say ; at all events, wild shooting rose 

 prodigiously in the market after their publication. 

 Thirty years since capital small ranges were to 

 be had for 150 to 180. The rapidity with 

 which these rose to thrice that amount was 

 most disheartening to keen grouse -shooters of 

 moderate incomes. The competition for the first- 

 class beats was even greater, and I have been 



