368 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS CHAP. 



offer a more than ordinary advantage, and yield information that 

 would be difficult to obtain elsewhere. 



Although I do not chuss deer-driving with the far nobler and 

 more exciting sport of stalking, the driving is most instructive in 

 affording a knowledge of the habits of the animal. The deer will 

 always travel against the wind, which affords notice of an enemy. 



Certain winds will be in favour of particular drives, and it 

 would be absurd to attempt a drive unless the wind were favourable. 



There was no forest where deer-driving was better organised 

 than at Athole, in the last Duke's lifetime. Through his great 

 kindness I had much practical experience for some years upon those 

 well-remembered hills. If the wind was fair, the valley of Glen 

 Tilt was the favourite position for the rifles. The so-called 

 "boxes" were shallow pits built up with rocks and sods of turf to 

 resemble natural excrescences. These lined the left side of the 

 road when ascending from Forest Lodge, the river Tilt rushing in 

 a brawling stream upon the right. 



The " boxes " were about 200 yards apart, and the hills rose 

 more or less abruptly to the height of about 700 feet above the 

 glen, exhibiting a clean sky-line, upon which in clear weather a 

 dog might have been distinguished with the naked eye. 



On the opposite face, to the river's left, were the lofty Grampian 

 Hills, Ben-y-Gloe being the highest point. 



The prettiest drive when the wind was favourable was that in 

 face of Ben-y-Gloe. The keepers and gillies had stereotyped 

 instructions that the deer were to be on the sky-line at 3 P.M. 



To effect this, they would leave the Castle at about 4 A.M., 

 and take a circuit embracing about 20 miles, from which they 

 would converge towards the appointed spot above Glen Tilt. The 

 driving of deer is a science ; very few men are necessary, and they 

 should be at intervals of a quarter of a mile apart. Eight men 

 will accordingly cover a line of 2 miles. They would commence 

 at a great distance by intervals of half a mile, or even more, 

 gradually converging as they approached the terminus of the drive. 



The various herds or " parcels " of deer, seeing the men extended 

 in their rear, but not obtaining their scent, as the wind was in the 

 front, would gently move forward in the required direction, if the 

 drive were properly conducted. Xo noise of any kind should be 

 made, no wild gesticulations, but the men should march slowly 

 but steadily forward, halting occasionally according to the move- 

 ments of the deer. 



I have frequently been with the keepers, with instructions to 

 prevent the deer from breaking back. The greatest possible care 



