164 EEMINISCENCES OF THE LEWS. 



not indigenous, but had been brought, when 

 quite young, from a far-off country, with a view 

 of improving the breed of deer. I had known 

 him well in his youth, and frequently seen him 

 since about the forest lodge, where he some- 

 times liked to get to the gate before you, and 

 make you believe that he did not intend letting 

 you pass. The under forester, a friend of mine, 

 did not much like him. The stag was also 

 very fond of the milking hours, and used to 

 attend them, particularly in the evenings, much 

 to the dismay of the dairymaids ; but, till his 

 attack on the head forester, he had never 

 overtly assaulted any one. Of late he had left 

 the neighbourhood of the lodge, and taken 

 himself off to the forest. 



I therefore was much amused by the man's 

 anxiety for his master's safety, and, to tell the 

 truth, thought there was a strong dash of 

 humbug about it. Be this as it may, I stayed 

 some days at the lodge, having capital stalking, 

 and, of course, during that pleasant progress, 

 discussing this wonderful beast with the 

 foresters and gillies. 



One day I went to some neighbouring hills 

 to kill a stag or two for a friend of mine, who, 

 not able to come up that season himself, had 

 begged me to get him some good heads, if I 



