THE GROUSE. 139 



not a drain cut, not only no roads or pony- 

 paths, but not even footpaths made through 

 the mountain, and in a country where the very 

 shepherds are constantly lost in the mist. Es- 

 tates change hands, but years pass by and 

 nothing is done. It is the very land of the 

 ' lotos-eaters,' where it is ' always afternoon,' 

 and this within twenty-foin^ homes' journey of 

 London. 



The grouse disease has not yet appeared in 

 the Western Highlands, and this is an inesti- 

 mable advantage, and there the scenery is as 

 fine as any in Scotland. The grouse also do 

 not pack, and, except in very stormy weather, 

 always lay well to dogs. We have known 

 one gun bag twenty and a half brace in the 

 middle of November in a few hours, and a man 

 who has done this over two brace of quite first- 

 rate dogs has perhaps had as good sport as dog 

 and gun can give. 



If the proprietors would for seven years 

 see that the heather was burnt under the direc- 



