CLIMBING THE CAIENWALL. 29- 



was not so light a task the rough stones, the slippery 

 moss, the frequent holes, rendering the descent far 

 more difficult than the ascent ; but by patient per- 

 sistence, in a briefer space of time than I thought it 

 would have taken me, I was at the base of the hill, 

 which only two or three days back I looked upon as a 

 height I could never expect to attain. 



A wave of the hand from my jovial companion, 

 who had just knocked down another brace, brought 

 me to his side, and, leading me to a tranquil spot, 

 bidding me rest on a moss-covered stone, he bade- 

 the attendant gillie bring forth from the rippling rill 

 a bottle of the driest of dry champagne. "Best, weary 

 pilgrim, rest," said this friend in need, " and when we 

 have drained the goblet to the dregs, we will be off 

 and at them again." Accordingly we were off and 

 at them again, with such success, as we toiled up the 

 hills, through the heather, and over a specially rugged 

 plateau of land said to be the most favourite resort of 

 the grouse that it was necessary to despatch a horse 

 with panniers to collect the heaps of birds deposited on 

 the cairns or conspicuous stones on the ' ' beats " we 

 followed. It was not until the shades of evening 

 closed around us that we ceased our sport, my com- 

 panion having scored off his own gun no less a number 

 than seventy-seven and a-half brace of grouse. This 

 number was very largely augmented by our friend, 

 who had worked the steepest corrie during this long 

 day, and contributed not only grouse, but ptarmigan 

 and hares as well. It is to me a surprising fact, after 

 so long a walk and so steep a climb, that I felt no 

 symptom of fatigue, and could have extended my 

 walk if called upon to trudge home to the Manse, 



