liEKn-STALKIKO] 



]{V Kli:i-1), WOOD, AND WAl'I'K. 



[uKEK-SrALKlKO. 



In order the more certainly to brinj^ down 

 tlie deer, the eportsiimn always, if poaaible, 

 tnkes Ilia iiiin behind tlie shoulder of the 

 ;it\imal ; and if ellVetive in this direction, death 

 fullowa instantly. When, however, the deer 

 is only wounded, it is then left to itself by the 

 lierd, when the deer-hounds are set to work 

 to follow and capture it. These animals dis- 

 pl:iv singular sagacity and earnestness in 

 hunting the stricUen captive: they will con- 

 line their hunting solely to the wounded deer; 

 and w'ncn they have overtaken him, cither 

 seize, or hold him at bay till the sportsmen 

 arrive, when another shot, in some vital 

 quarter, puts an end to the scene. The dogs 

 are rewarded by the blood of the noble 

 quarry. 



Shooting the roebuck iu tlie Highlands of 

 Scotland, is held to be a most animating sport. 

 This animal is considerably smaller than the 

 red-deer; and dogs of the barrier breed arc 

 used to drive it into certain favourable locali- 

 ties, where the deadly rifle does great execution. 

 Shooting it, and all the sporting incidents and 

 circumstances attending this, are much of the 

 same description as those mentioned in ref- 

 erence to the red-dccr: but it is impossible to 

 describe the irresistible pleasure which the 

 pursuit of such a noble quarry gives to the 

 tliorough-bred highlander. Day after day be 

 will range the bare hills, and traverse the 

 haunts of these animals, or sit, with Job-like 

 patience, enveloped in his plaid, behind a grey 

 rock, which, whilst it conceals him, enables 

 him to command an extensive view of the 

 country spread out before bira. Should he 

 then be fortunate enough to get a sight of a 

 stag, he will think nothing of creeping for 

 miles, like a worm, on his belly, in order to get 

 within shot of him without being discovered. 

 Time and the weather are to the highlander of 

 no consequence. Wet, cold, and hunger he 

 will willingly bear to circumvent his prey ; and 

 if he is successful in this, how does he rejoice ! 

 but if not, he will renew his ellbrts until his 

 perseverance and toil are rewarded with suc- 

 cess. "When a deer is killed, an operation 

 called "breaking" takes place, and which con- 

 sists of cutting the throat and disembowelling 

 it. "Whilst this is going on, the highlander 

 frequently apostrophises the dead animal in 

 Gaelic. He calls him every evil name he can 

 4i 



think of at first, for perhaps having frequently 

 escaped his deadly aim, and for having often 

 led him many a weary juurney over hill and 

 dale before he liad at last succumbed. After 

 this, ho may chango his note, and pronounce 

 him the " bonniest," or most beautiful bi-a.st 

 that it was ever his lot to behold. Whilst 

 upon this strain, the very perfection of gratili- 

 cation and delight irradiates every feature ot 

 his usually hard and rugged countenance. 



hi bidding adieu to this portion of our 

 work, we must be permitted to 8.iy a few 

 words upon natural history, and the greai 

 additional enjoyment its study must give to 

 the sportsman who associates it with his 

 pursuits. In itself it is delightful ; and animals 

 are so diversified in form, so curious in struc- 

 ture, and 80 interesting in their habits and 

 manners, that they furnish a wide range for 

 observation to every inquiring mind. They 

 are, moreover, so liberally distributed over tho ^ 

 earth's surface, that, let the naturalist wander 

 where be will, he is almost sure to meet with 

 one species or other of the object of his pur- 

 suit. The daisied meadow has its lark ; the 

 wood its nightingale; the heath-clad hill its 

 red-deer or its roebuck ; the stream its gray- 

 ling or its trout; the rocky dell its ouzel, 

 flitting from bush to busl), or crag to crag. 

 Nay, even the ocean-wave has its inhabitants 

 its alg£B, or its birds, as tho snow-capped 

 mountain has its ptarmigan. "What life, 

 what interest, what spirit do these various 

 beings infuse into the elements which they 

 people! The field may look beautiful, clad iu 

 its spring-tide robe, with tho sun glancing 

 brightly upon its thousand flowers; but if the 

 thrush plays its flute from a neighbouring 

 tree, or the lark rains dow;n music from a 

 summer cloud, how greatly are its charms 

 enhanced by their dulcet notes! Enchanting 

 may seem the river, as it winds gracefully 

 through some pastoral vale, an evening sun 

 perchance turning to gold the liquid silver 

 of its currents ; but, should the osprey pounce 

 down upon its waves, or the otter move 

 stealthily along its margin in search of prey, 

 what interest, what animation do they give to 

 the lovely scene ! 



One is almost led to believe that the love of 

 nature is inherent iu the heart of man. It is 

 visible in earliest life, when children evince a 



. GO'.) 



