WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS 



about five miles from the house, where we were accus- 

 tomed to look for roe: we frequently made our plans over 

 night while the dog was in the room. One day, for some 

 reason, I did not take him: in consequence of this, invari- 

 ably when he heard us at night forming our plan to beat 

 the woods, Rover started alone very early in the morning, 

 and met us up there. He always went to the cottage where 

 we assembled, and sitting on a hillock in front of it, which 

 commanded a view of the road by which we came, waited 

 for us; when he saw us coming, he met us with a peculiar 

 kind of grin on his face, expressing, as well as words could, 

 his half doubt of being well received, in consequence of 

 his having come without permission: the moment he saw 

 that I was not angry with him, he threw off all his affecta- 

 tion of shyness, and barked and jumped upon me with the 

 most orrateful delight. 



As he was very clever at finding deer, I often sent him 

 with the beaters or hounds to assist, and he always plainly 

 asked me on starting, whether he was to go with me to 

 the pass, or to accompany the men. In the latter case, 

 though a very exclusive dog in his companyat other times, 

 hewouldgowith anyone of the beaters,althoughastranger 

 to him, whom I told him to accompany, and he would look 

 to that one man for orders as long as he was with him. I 

 never lost a wounded roe when he was out, for once on 

 the track he would stick to it, the whole day if necessary, 

 not fatiguing himself uselessly, but quietly and deter- 

 minedly following it up. If the roe fell and he found it, he 

 would return to me, and then lead me up to the animal, 

 whatever the distance might be. With red-deer he was 



176 



