WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS 



very early hour Donald appeared, and after his morning 

 salute of "It's a fine day, Sir," he added, "There will be 

 some deer about the west shoulder of the hill above Alt- 

 na-car. Whenever the wind is in the airt it now is, they 

 feed about the burn there." We agreed to walk across to 

 that part of the ground, and were soon en route. Bran gal- 

 loped round us,baying joyously, asif he expected we should 

 have goodluck.Wehadnot gone half a milefromthe house, 

 when we met one of the prettiest girls in the country, trip- 

 ping along the narrow path, humming a Gaelic air, and 

 looking bright and fresh as the morning. " How are you all 

 at home, Nanny, and how is your father getting on? does 

 he see any deer on the hill? "said I. Her father was a shep- 

 herd not far from the house, and she was then going down 

 on some errand to my servants. "We are all no' that bad, 

 thank you, Sir, except mother, who still has the trouble 'on 

 her. Father says that he saw some hinds and a fine stag 

 yesterday as he crossed the hill to the kirk ; they were feed- 

 ing on the top of Alt-na-car, and did na mind him a bit." 



Donald looked at me, with a look full of importance, at 

 this confirmation of his prophecy. " Deed, Sir, that'sabonny 

 lass, and as gude as she is bonny. It's just goide luck our 

 meeting her; if we had met that auld witch, her mother, not 

 a beastwouldwe have seen the day." I haveheardof Donald 

 turning home again, if he met an old woman when starting 

 on any deer-stalking excursion. Theyoungpretty girl, how- 

 ever, was a good omen in his eyes. We passed through the 

 woods, seeing here and there a roebuck standing gazing 

 at us as we crossed some grassy glade where he was feeding. 

 On the rocks near the top of the woods, Donald took me 



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