INTEODUCT10N. 3 



It is needless to say how few of us would 

 endure this continual hardship and fatigue, were 

 it not for the present excitement, which impetus 

 is supplied by the love of hunting, innate, though 

 often latent, in most manly and independent 

 characters. I always sympathised with the 

 Scotch poacher of fifty years ago, who, for the 

 sheer love of sport, sallied out over the well- 

 known hills, and with his quaintly broke collie 

 dog and rusty single-barrel enjoyed himself to 

 the full. He never sold his game, but when he 

 had more than his family could use, gave the rest 

 to his neighbours. That is past and gone; the 

 English squire first drove the poorer Scotch one 

 out of the market, and he in his turn has been 

 superseded by the millionaires from London, 

 Manchester, and America. Incredible prices are 

 given by the latter for all our first-class deer 

 forests and shootings, while the second-rate beats 

 are as eagerly contended for by the men of less 

 ample means ; and now it is Sassenachs, protec- 

 tion, and keepers over the whole Highland range. 

 This picture may not be a very bright one to a 

 high-spirited and patriotic Scotchman : still it has 



