xxn THE DEER 369 



is required to keep them straight, and to drive them forward 

 without flurry or excitement. As herd after herd joins the general 

 movement, as miles of heather have been traversed, the difficulty 

 increases, as the deer become suspicious of danger, and evince a 

 strong desire to charge back through the wide intervals between 

 the advancing line. 



When a herd turns round and faces the keepers, the simple 

 action of exposing a white handkerchief, without waving it, is 

 generally sufficient to stop the deer, and to prevent them from 

 making a rush towards the rear. Should one lot of deer rush 

 back and succeed in escaping from the drive, it is highly probable 

 that every deer, even should there be a thousand, would follow 

 suit, and a general stampede would produce a complete failure. 



The hinds are always the leaders of a movement, and the harts, 

 or stags, are dependent upon these wary females for advice. 



When the drive is advancing, and perhaps five hundred deer 

 may be moving slowly and hesitatingly forward, some clever old 

 hind, a regular "old parliamentary hand," will turn round and 

 confront the men at about 400 yards' distance. Several other 

 hinds will immediately imitate her example, until at length a 

 large number of deer will have halted in a crowd. A keeper will 

 immediately display a white handkerchief, and for the moment 

 halt ; every man along the line will do the same. The old hind 

 will perhaps advance inquisitively forward, as though to examine 

 the peculiar appearance of a white handkerchief. This is 

 dangerous, and she must be stopped. A shrill whistle will at 

 once turn her, and as she retreats, the handkerchief may be slowly 

 waved, as the man advances. 



In this manner, by degrees, with quiet and reflective manage- 

 ment, the large mass of animals may be induced to move in the 

 required direction. Should some determined hart or hind make a 

 rush backwards in desperation, it must be stopped at all hazards 

 by a shot, but the great secret of success is quietness. 



In the meantime six guns are anxiously waiting in the same 

 number of boxes at the foot of the hills, thus lining the valley of 

 Glen Tilt. The order has been given that the deer are to be 

 visible on the sky-line at 3 P.M. Every watch has been set to 

 the same time, and the anxious watchers have been repeatedly 

 conferring with their dials, and scanning the sky-line with their 

 binoculars, as only five minutes remain of the time appointed. 



The keepers in the rear of the advancing herds have also referred 

 to their watches, and they take a pride in carrying out their 

 instructions with the greatest punctuality. 



2B 



