Grouse Shooting. 121 



to exercise our legs to the top of Ben Darroch, Donald bringing a pony- 

 along with him with a suitable luncheon, which was duly enjoyed with 

 a magnificent view of mountains and lakes innumerable. 



In the evening we all went to dine with Jock, who had two other 

 friends. Major Starkey and Bob Macintosh, Sheriff of Dumbnotabittie; and 

 a capital evening we had, for Jock was proud of his taps, and the 

 samples were very reliable. As for the Shirra, he was a finished and a 

 veteran racconteur, and his stories were perfectly killing. I don't know 

 when I have laughed so much. 



At eight o'clock the next morning I sauntered out to take a look 

 round. There was a slight haze on the lowlands; the mountains still 

 were clouded on the top ; but everything promised a fine day, not to say 

 a hot one. Bostock, Charley's servant, a regular cockney, was busy 

 fiUing flasks and preparing luncheons, &c., &c., while Donald, with 

 two or three lathy young Highlanders, who were his aids, was busy 

 preparing ponies, slinging baskets, and selecting dogs. We were to divide 

 into two parties, and to shoot round the Hill of Darroch at the easiest 

 walking for a first day, one party taking round one side along the 

 upper range of ground and the other round the other, and meeting on a 

 certain mo and, on which stood a small clump of trees, on the other side' 

 for lunch, and returning along the lower ground to the lodge, Ohiffens 

 and I going together, and Charley and Soper. 



Chiffens was a young lawyer, just taken into a junior partnership in 

 the great firm of Smith, Green, and Tomkinson in Lincoln's-inn-fields. 

 He was a smart fellow, capital company, and a neat shot. Soper was a 

 man about town, with a moderate competence, who lived on the surface, 

 and enjoyed life according to his lights; never had any debts, or did 

 shabby things, but knew how to get his money's worth as well as most 

 men. He was a very good-natured fellow if you knew how to get at 

 him, and did many a good turn to many a man that needed .it unknown. 

 He was a good all-round sportsman; could ride some, shoot a good deal, 

 and was allowed to throw a respectable fly even for Hampshire, where 

 the critics are very capable. Though he didn't bet deeply — never doing 

 niore than put a fiver on his fancy — he was an authority on weights, 



