WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS 



We had a difficult task in advancing the next fiftyyards 

 with the dogs. The sensible animals, however, crouched 

 when we did, and were wonderfully little in the way con- 

 sidering the nature of the ground which we had to pass. 

 The old hind's ears were visible, but no more of her, as we 

 crept along; she appeared to be still intently watching in 

 the same direction as before. Having crawled over a small 

 height, we got into a hollow place, and then proceeded to 

 put the dogs' collars and straps in a state to enable us to 

 slip them at a moment's warning. Both Bran and Oscar 

 stood motionless, and almost seemed to turn their necks 

 in order to assist us in the operation. 



We then advanced with great care and silence, on our 

 hands and knees, for a couple of hundred yards along a cut 

 in the ground that took us away from the burn. Every- 

 thing had favoured us, the deer's attention had been taken 

 off by Donald, and the ground had been the easiest I ever 

 stalked a deer in. We were now within about a hundred 

 yards of them, and could get no nearer unobserved; so pat- 

 ting the dogs, and whispering a word of encouragement 

 to them, we led them in front of us, and rising up in full 

 view of the deer, pointed towards them. We had no need, 

 however, to show their game to the noble hounds, for the 

 deer starting up as soon as they saw us, were at once caught 

 sight of by both Bran and Oscar. Away went the deer, 

 those which were the farthest off waited for their comrades 

 to join them, and then all took the hill in a compact body, 

 and the dogs with an impatient whine darted off the in- 

 stant they were released from their collars. 



The deer ran in a sloping direction up the hill, appar- 



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