WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS 



try, for the chance, and that a bad one, of killing a wild swan 

 or two. However, after a weary walk, we arrived at these 

 desolate-looking lochs: they consist of three pieces of water, 

 the largest about three miles in length and one in width; 

 the other two, which communicate with the largest, are 

 much smaller and narrower, indeed scarcely two gunshots 

 in width; for miles around them, the country is flat, and in- 

 tersected with a mixture of swamp and sandy hillocks. In 

 one direction the sea is only half a mile from the lochs, and 

 in calm winter weather the wild fowl pass the day-time on 

 the salt water, coming inland in the evenings to feed. As 

 soon as we were within sight of the lochs we saw the swans 

 on one of the smaller pieces of water, some standing high 

 and dry on the grassy islands, trimming their feathers after 

 their longjourney,and others feedingonthegrassand weeds 

 at the bottom of the loch, which in some parts was shallow 

 enough to allow of their pulling up the plants which they 

 feed on as they swam about, while numbers of wild ducks 

 of different kinds, particularly widgeons, swarmed round 

 them and often snatched the pieces of grass from theswans 

 as soon as they had brought them to the surface,to thegreat 

 annoyance of the noble birds, who endeavoured in vain to 

 drive away these more active little depredators, who seem- 

 ed determined to profit by their labours. 



Our next step was to drive the swans away from the loch 

 they were on; it seemed a curious way of getting a shot, but 

 as the old man seemed confident of the success of his plan, I 

 very submissively acted according to his orders. As soon as 

 we moved them, they all made straight for the sea. "This 

 won't do," was my remark. "Yes, it will, though; they'll no 



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