2o6 HIGHLAND SPORT 



these sentiments to Angus, I found he had set his heart on 

 making up the four beasts, while he also told me the stag 

 was bigger than his horns indicated, so I took another peep 

 to inspect him afresh, when he made a sudden bolt in evident 

 alarm, while over the sky-line in angry pursuit there came 

 a splendid stag with a grand head. Nearly certain I could 

 count royal points, I was about to proclaim my discovery to 

 Angfus, when it flashed across my mind how pressed we were 

 for time, and as with all his skill he was yet a very excitable 

 man, I feared it might make him rash if he suddenly heard 

 of the presence of such a grand beast, so I kept my own 

 counsel, and quietly shutting up his glass I handed it back, 

 while remarking quite unconcernedly, " Well, Angus, if you 

 wish to get up to him in time to see to shoot it must be a 

 case of running, so go ahead as fast as you like." 



Go, indeed, he did, but as it was down hill for a mile, 

 I managed to live with him till the ascent began, when 

 Angus, like a gentleman, made the pace less severe, while, 

 as he came to the top of the hill over which we expected 

 to find our quarry, he had the wisdom to reduce it almost to 

 a crawl, so that by the time the summit was reached I had 

 quite recovered my wind. 



On hands and knees we crossed the sky-line, while yard 

 by yard the precipitous sides of the Eilig burn were searched, 

 and horribly disappointed were we at finding our deer had 

 probably fed nearer to the foot of the very steep hill. A worse 

 place for a shot could not be imagined, and Angus whispered 

 me that the last three stags killed here had all been smashed 

 to bits by rolling down the hillside after receiving the bullet. 



There was nothing for it but to follow our quarry, so feet 

 first and flat on our sides we commenced the descent, only 

 soon to sight the back of a small stag. As long as he fed 

 we slithered nearer to him ; the moment he lifted his head 

 we were as immovable as the big stones around us. At length 

 we were within a long shot of this staggie, while to my dismay 



