94 TOUR IN SUTHERLANDSHIRE. 



of the morrow, or perhaps to listen to the nocturnal cries of 

 the birds and animals of the mountain or loch. You seldom 

 see him fill his pipe ; it seems ready charged, always fit for 

 action, and also self-extinguishing in some inexplicable 

 manner ; as on your asking him a question suddenly when 

 out on the hill, if smoking, ten to one but he puts the pipe, 

 with red-hot tobacco in it, at once into his waiscoat pocket, 

 where it dies a natural death in an innocent manner that I 

 would recommend no one else to expect his pipe to imitate. 



Summer or winter the Highland deer-stalker puts on his 

 plaid when going out, and, if he does not carry a gun, has in 

 his hand some favourite stick (or " staff" as he calls it) made 

 of hazel or juniper, and cut during some excursion to the low 

 country. His telescope, though good, generally refuses to be 

 seen distinctly through by any eyes but his own ; somehow 

 no one else can hit off the focus. Though caring little for 

 grouse shooting, he is usually a fisherman, and can throw a 

 fly well enough on occasion, and a present of salmon flies 

 goes straight to his heart. 



To return to Aultnaharrow. I was much pleased with the 

 kennel of deer-hounds in charge of the forester there ; some 

 of them fine, powerful dogs, fit to pull down any stag. This 

 breed of dogs, which a few years ago was almost extinct, or 

 at any rate only in the hands of a very few Highland pro- 

 prietors, is now rapidly increasing, not only in numbers, but 

 also in size, strength, and other good qualities. The three 

 finest dogs of the kind that I ever saw were at Foyers, on 

 Loch Ness ; and I believe they were equally admired by a 

 gentleman far more fit to judge of them than I am, Mr. 

 Grant of Glenmorriston, who was kind enough to take me to 

 see them. The two young dogs were undoubtedly among 

 the finest of their race, for with the strength of a lion they 

 were made as much for speed, and as compactly put together, 

 as the highest bred grey-hound at Newmarket. They had 

 all the points and qualifications of a thorough-bred grey- 

 hound, from their head to their round cat-like feet. Indeed 

 I suppose that owing to neither trouble nor expense having 

 been for some time past spared by many English sportsmen 

 in improving this breed of dogs, the deer-hound is now to be 

 found in as great perfection as ever it was. 



Like other greyhounds these dogs do not continue fit for 

 service for more than six years. The violent pace and the 

 strains they are liable to, from th nature of the ground they 



