CH. XXV. FINE STAG. 79 



though not peculiarly long, were heavy and large, 

 with ten points well and evenly set on, of a dark 

 colour, and the points as white as ivory. The 

 animal himself was evidently of very great size 

 and age, and in fine condition. He lived quite 

 alone, and did not seem to associate with any 

 of the other deer who frequented that district, 

 although I once saw him rise and trot off, warned 

 by the movement of a herd of hinds ; and at 

 another time he rose unexpectedly on my firing at 

 two stags in a corrie : still on neither of these 

 occasions, nor at any other time, did he appear to 

 be lying in company with the other deer, although 

 not above half a mile from them, nor did he join 

 them in their flight when moved. Instead of this 

 he invariably trotted off sulkily ; and if I chanced 

 to fall in with his track again, it was still solitary, 

 and speeding in a direct course over bog and hill 

 to some far off mountain glen or corrie. The 

 shepherds, who generally gave me notice of any par- 

 ticularly fine stag they might see in their rounds, 

 distinguished this one by a Gaelic name, signifying 

 the big red stag, as, besides his other attributes, his 

 colour was of a peculiarly bright red. Donald 

 and I had made an unsuccessful raid or two into 

 the red stag's country, some unforeseen or un- 

 guarded against circumstance always warning him 



