44 SHOOTING AND SALMON FISHING 



whose master happened to be of slight build and medium 

 height, and therefore fairly well suited to the small butts. At 

 first the keeper listened in silence to the big man's complaints, 

 in the meanwhile closely eyeing his tormentor. Other drives 

 took place, and still the grumbling continued, till at last the 

 tortured one said, very humbly but without a trace of rudeness, 

 " Well, sir, in these parts we just make the boxes for gentle- 

 men and not for giants " ; and for a long time he could not be 

 made to understand what had been said to make the big gentle- 

 man laugh so much. 



Should a good few cartridges be used in any one drive, 

 and result in but little to pick up, do not stamp them into 

 the peat to try to hide them, for quick Scotch eyes are 

 sure to detect this, which will only cause more annoyance. 

 Mark each bird dropped, and take care none shot in front 

 of the butt strike you in falling, as the blow is severe ; if 

 watched, they are, however, very easy to dodge. On no 

 account leave the butt when once the drive has begun ; then 

 as soon as it is over, try to gather runners before looking 

 for those that are certainly dead ; also see that all picked up are 

 handed over to someone who will add them to the bag, for we 

 have seen gentlemen helping to pick up who, having collected 

 several brace, have thrown them down in the butt, where 

 they have been left. 



It is of little use trying to drive grouse up a strong wind, 

 and in arranging a drive overnight it is as well, and makes all 

 the difference to the result, if it be understood between master 

 and man that the beat selected is to be driven according to the 

 direction of the wind on the following morning ; it may cost 

 the driving party a longer walk to get to their places, or 

 perhaps make them an hour later in commencing to shoot, but 

 it will be trouble well taken. In some places it is the custom 

 the day following a grouse drive to send keepers with dogs to 

 range the ground driven the day before to pick up wounded 

 birds, but as far as our experience goes, and we have many 



