222 HIGHLAND SPORT 



bed ; and thus the wishes of our unfortunate friend were duly 

 carried out, as for that night, at any rate, the ladies knew 

 nothing of the accident. 



After dinner we relieved the doctor, who, having given me 

 full instructions what to do in certain events, took his departure, 

 the while expressing a strong opinion the patient would require 

 no further attention till the following morning, and so curled 

 up in an easy-chair, I kept a night watch by the wounded man. 

 In a few days Lewes was in a fair way to recovery, and the 

 moment he began to gain strength he insisted on telling us the 

 story of the accident, which I repeat in nearly his own words. 

 Said he : — 



" I had had several stalks at the old blackcocks, but having 

 been defeated each time, was making my way home crestfallen, 

 when in one of the corn-fields just outside the Castle gates I 

 saw several fine old birds, so, as they had not seen me, I began 

 to stalk them. In attempting to do this I had to creep through 

 a beech hedge, which offered such a stout resistance to my 

 passage that I was forced to leave go of my gun to use both 

 hands in clearing the way, and then in pulling it after me some- 

 how or other it exploded, and I knew that my own carelessness 

 had caused a nasty accident, for I felt instantly that my arm 

 was smashed just below the elbow ; there was but little pain, 

 and although the rush of warm blood caused feelings of terror, 

 I realised my only chance was to stop the flow. Helped by 

 the weight of the cartridges in the pockets, I managed to slip 

 off my coat, and find a piece of old fishing line that I knew 

 was there. I took one end between my teeth, while with 

 the right hand I lashed it tightly round and round my arm 

 till the bleeding stopped, then I took a good long pull at my 

 flask with a sad enough look at my poor arm, and seeing that 

 the fore part was hanging on by merely a bit of skin, I took 

 my knife and severed it ; the next moment I felt sorry for what 

 I had done, so in the wild hope that it might yet be made to 

 re-unite I wrapped the limb in my coat, and tottering to my 



