156 EEMINISCEXCES OF A SPORTSMAN. 



turning, they retraced their steps. Hearing loud cries 

 in the distance, they hastened on, and at last saw the 

 dog dragging a boy by his coat towards them. On 

 questioning the boy, it appeared that he had picked up 

 the glove, and put it into his pocket. The sagacious 

 animal had no other means of conveying it to his master 

 than by compelling the boy to accompany him." 



The accoimt of deer-stalking by Mr. Cooper will be 

 found exceedingly interesting to most persons, but more 

 particularly to those who are partial to field sports. 

 "There is no describing," says this ingenious writer, 

 "the irresistible fascination of this pursuit to the true- 

 bred Highlander. Day after day will he traverse the 

 haunts of these noble animals, or sit with inexhaustible 

 patience, wrapped in his plaid behind a grey stone upon 

 some well-known commanding height, watching for a 

 sight of them ; or creep for miles together on his belly, 

 like a worm, to approach them undiscovered. The lapse of 

 time and the severity of the weather arealike unheeded ; 

 he only thinks how to circumvent his wary prey. If suc- 

 cessful, he is richly repaid ; if he fails, it is but to renew 

 the tedious and toilsome quest until his perseverance is at 

 length rewarded." He now proceeds to detail the opera- 

 tions of the persons he accompanied to deer-stalking : — 

 " Cautiously creeping up the little hillock until their eyes 

 could just peer above the topmost heather, Glenvallich 

 and the forester, throwing themselves on their faces, 

 scrutinised with their glasses the brown expanse before 

 them ; nor was it till more than a quarter of an hour had 

 elapsed in the inquiry that they arose from their recum- 

 bent position. ' Nothing is stirring or in sight, as far as 

 we can make out,' said Glenvallich ; ' let us move for- 

 ward. Eemember, Tresham, we shoot at nothing but 



