I90 HIGHLAND SPORT 



been a terrible accident in the forest ! for, alas ! poor 

 Donald — — " 



But having got thus far, Surrey was so completely 

 overcome that he could not continue his narrative, and he 

 rushed from us into the house. 



Further down the path at a side door we saw a cart 

 surrounded by a small crowd of men, and on joining the group 

 we learnt to our horror that the vehicle held the corpse of poor 

 Donald. In vain did we try to gather details of the accident ; 

 some said "the gentleman did it," some that Donald was 

 himself the cause, while others told the wildly improbable 

 story that it was the "royal" stag of Corrie-na-vaich that had 

 himself done the deed. Unable to gather anything definite,- 

 Tom whispered to me to go in and look after Surrey, whilst 

 he attended to other matters that required arranging on an 

 emergency like this. With a sad heart I made my way to 

 Surrey's room, and having done my best to comfort him, he 

 presently told me the following account of the tragedy, which 

 I relate, as nearly as possible, in his own words — 



" At our very first spy, to Donald's great delight, we found 

 a fine ' royal ' stag, well known to the neighbouring foresters 

 as the monarch of Corrie-na-vaich, who I learnt was re- 

 nowned for his wily ways, for though he had been stalked 

 times without number and had been thrice fired at, he had on 

 each occasion escaped scatheless. We were soon within shot 

 of the monarch, who this time did not display any extraordinary 

 cleverness, but as he was feeding end on to me I could not 

 take the shot at once. I noticed Donald was pale with excite- 

 ment, and was already trembling for the result, which did not 

 tend to make me any the steadier. 



" When, however, the monarch at last presented his broad- 

 side to me, I felt every confidence as I pressed the trigger ; 

 alas! he fell only to rise again, to dash off with his fore leg 

 smashed right high up in the shoulder ; as he still kept side on 

 to me, I put in the left barrel with great steadiness, but that 



