EEMINISCENOES OF THE LEWS. 153 



sorrow, I sent him to the mainland, where he 

 never showed the sKghtest propensity for 

 mutton. 



ISTow, never shooting till my two friends 

 went away, which they generally did towards 

 the middle of October, I had ample time to see 

 to the thorough breaking of my dogs, without 

 over-breaking. I was, in short, head keeper. 

 Cameron of Lochiel had long gone, as I fore- 

 saw he must, and been replaced by Sandie, 

 who had been a gillie, and accustomed to sheep 

 and sheep-dogs. He had, therefore, like many 

 shepherds, a turn for dog-breaking ; and I 

 finished by making him a very good breaker. 

 I had also imported from the mainland (Ross- 

 shire) John Munro, whom I placed at Diensten ; 

 I had known him from his childhood ; he was 

 a first-rate fisherman, and, having been some 

 time under a good keeper, knew something 

 about dogs, and was not too proud to be taught 

 a little more. He was also a very apt scholar, 

 so that I was tolerably sure of having my dogs 

 well handled. My comrades, too, were good 

 sportsmen, and fond of dogs, and, knowing my 

 hobby, always took care, when I was not out, 

 that order was kept and no liberties taken. To 

 be sure, when they first began, I don't think 

 they were the first shots in the world ; had I 



