WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS 



the nearest to me was a remarkably large hind, which we 

 had before observed as being the leader and biggest of the 

 herd. I made a sign to Donald that I would shoot her, and 

 left him to take what he liked of the flock after I fired. 



Taking a deliberate and cool aim at her shoulder, I pulled 

 the trigger; but, alas! the wet had got between the cap and 

 nipple-end. All that followed was a harmless snap: the deer 

 heard it, and starting from their food rushed together in a 

 confused heap as if to give Donald a fair chance at the 

 entire flock, a kind of shot he rather rejoiced in. Before I 

 could get a dry cap on my gun, snap, snap, went both his 

 barrels; and when I looked up, it was but to see the whole 

 herd quietly trotting up the hill, out of shot, but apparently 

 not very much frightened, as they had not seen us, or found 

 out exactly where the sound came from. "We are just twa 

 fules, begging your honour's pardon, and only fit to weave 

 hose by the ingle," said Donald. I could not contradict him. 

 The mischief was done; so we had nothing for it but to 

 wipe out our guns as well as we could and proceed on our 

 wandering. We followed the probable line of the deer's 

 march, and before night saw them in a distant valley feed- 

 ing again quite unconcernedly. 



"Hark! what is that? "said I, as ahollow roar like an ang- 

 ry bull was heard not far from us. " Kep down, kep down," 

 said Donald, suiting the action to the word, and pressing 

 me down with his hand; "it's just a big staig." All the hinds 

 looked up, and, following the direction of their heads, we 

 sawan immense hart coming over the brow of the hill three 

 hundred yards from us. He might easily have seen us, but 

 seemed too intent on the hinds to think of anything else. 



408 



