KEMINISCENCES OF THE LEWS. 165 



could. I met his stalker, a relation of my 

 friend tlie under forester, whom we will call 

 Norman, and I had with me my own keeper, 

 whom we will call John — no fool about a deer, 

 a first-rate shot with both gun and rifle, and 

 about as pretty a fisherman as ever took rod in 

 hand ; it was worth while going all the way to 

 see him fish the saddle cast on that beautiful 

 river the Conon, in Rosshire. The saddle cast 

 on the Conon was a stumpy, short tree, which 

 in floods was half covered with water, and the 

 top of it was shaped like a saddle. To this, in 

 high water, you waded, and getting astride the 

 tree, you commanded a very good cast. This 

 was no easy matter ; for if you rose and 

 hooked your fish, you could not kill him fi:'om 

 your saddle, but had to descend and wade to 

 shore again. I should like to see any one do 

 it and not lose his fish. John never did. After 

 the usual salutations, we proceeded to work, 

 and had not gone far when we spied two or 

 three hinds and a stag. 



''Norman," said I, "we are in sight, for 

 that stag is looking straight and steady down 

 upon us." 



" Impossible, sir ! he can't ; but, at any rate, 

 we can get down to that rock" (distant a few 

 yards), '' and there he can't see us." 



