Grouse Shooting. 129 



none of us lost more than we could afford, it didn't matter ; and, though we 

 often had a little shake up afterwards, I don't think hy the time we 

 parted there was a ten-pound note to the bad or good any way. 



If the sleep of the righteous is sound and peaceful, I for one must 

 have been awfully good that night ; for when Bostock announced eight 

 o'clock next morning I was quite surprised to hear it. 



The next day we shot the ravines of Ben Darroch — two guns on each 

 side. It was pretty shooting enough, but a deal harder work than yesterday, 

 necessitating a good deal of climbing as we got towards the upper end, 

 and had to work across into and down the next one ; for on one side Ben 

 Darroch was carved into great ridges like the furbelows on a woman's 

 dress. A little stream (torrent in the winter) ran down the bottom of each, 

 and, then uniting in the plain below, made the head waters which flowed 

 into Loch Darroch. These ravines were well clothed with heather along 

 the sides, and in the bottoms we found blackcock in plenty. As I said, it was 

 pretty but not easy shooting, and our total only numbered forty-five brace, 

 with etceteras. The next day Soper and I tried the river, while Charley 

 and Chiffens tried the loch for a ferox, and got one about 61b., and lost 

 another — a big one, owing, as I told them, to the hooks being too small — 

 a fatal fault in loch trolling. They also got a dozen pounds or so of 

 nice half-pound green-backed trout, which ate a deal better than they 

 looked. I hooked a good fish in a rattling stream, which gave me a lot 

 of fun, but which slipped off just as Archy's gaff was over him, and I got 

 a nice bright grilse of 71b. Soper got hung in a big kipper, which bored 

 all over the stream, and took him steadily and statelily down stream about 

 three-quarters of a mile, and when he finally consented to come ashore 

 was an ugly red fish, as lanky as you like, and weighed 221b. I reprobated 

 the beast, but Archy said that " he would make a graun' kipper, and was 

 no that despisable ; " so he stoned him on the head, and head and tailed him 

 while Soper in vain sought another. 



We had a big day a few days later, thanks to a day and night's rain. 

 We got out nine between us, and they weighed 1321b., and there were 

 some nice bright fish amongst them. Of course these piscatorial treasures 

 were very grateful at the lodge. 



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