366 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS CHAP. 



difficult to have distinguished it upon the peat moss, which matched 

 exactly with its colour ; but as it sped before the dog, and became 

 smaller as they both increased their distance, we could just deter- 

 mine that the stag would disappear from view before we should be 

 able to reach the lower ground. 



This proved to be the case, and from the direction taken by the 

 stag, I much feared that it would escape should the hound lose 

 sight of it among the numerous torrent-beds between us and the 

 river Bruar. I knew Oscar to be thoroughly good, but although a 

 fleet and powerful hound, he had been trained, like all others, to 

 bring a wounded deer to bay, but not to seize. This always ap- 

 peared an absurdity to me, but it was a rule of the forest (Blair- 

 Athole). If the deer were determined to make for a certain point, 

 there was nothing to stop it ; the only chance lay in its being 

 pressed so closely by the hound that it would turn to bay in some 

 favourable locality. 



I could run like a dog in those days, and the hardy gillie and 

 myself hurried across the heavy ground for about a mile, making 

 for the direction where the stag and Oscar had both disappeared. 

 The level swamp drained into many burns ; these had cut deep 

 clefts in the slopes which inclined towards the lower country. We 

 had lost all clue to the whereabouts of both stag and hound, and 

 after running for nearly a mile beyond the swamp where we had 

 last seen them, we halted to listen, in the hope of hearing the deep 

 voice of Oscar with the stag at bay. 



Suddenly, to our surprise and disgust, we observed a white 

 object in the distance returning in our direction ; this was Oscar, 

 having lost his game. 



Having had many years' experience, I felt certain that the stag 

 had thrown the hound off by running clown a stream before the dog 

 had come in view, and it would probably be standing in some deep 

 place for concealment. We accordingly called the dog, who ap- 

 peared to receive fresh courage from our presence. After a run of 

 about half a mile, we arrived at a stream flowing along a deep 

 gully, where the tracks of the deer were most distinct, the hoofs 

 being widely spread, showing that it had been going at great speed. 

 As the torrent rushed down some ugly places, I felt sure the deer 

 would be in hiding somewhere not far distant ; I therefore encour- 

 aged the dog by hallooing him on, and he presently dashed away 

 to the left, as though he had obtained the scent. In another 

 minute we heard a few loud barks, and we saw the stag going off 

 down the hill about 200 yards distant, with Oscar close behind. 

 With a good view halloo to cheer the dog, we followed at best 



