IN ASSYNT. 149 



iag from rock to boulder, we get out some way, and, letting out 

 much line, just manage to secure one fish for a specimen. 

 Then the sun blazes out, as it only does on these Highland 

 hills in July, and we give up fishing as useless, making a detour 

 to avoid the steeper parts of the craggy hill- side overhanging 

 the little inn at Inchnadamph, and so down an abrupt descent 

 leading to the burn, stumble upon Harry Malcolm, the keeper. 

 All who are fond of natural history and sport naturally like 

 a chat with a keeper. No one else is brought into such familiar 

 relations with the birds and beasts on the hill-side. The Scotch 

 poacher is a pleasant companion owing to his enthusiasm and 

 anecdotes. Kingsley depicts him exactly 



*' I'm aff and away to the muirs, mither, to hunt the dun deer, 

 Ranging far frae frowning faces and the douce folks here ; 

 Crawling up through burn and bracken, leaping down the screes, 

 Looking out frae crag and headland, drinking up the summer breeze." 



But he has not the time requisite to make the acquaintance of 

 the wild creatures at home. He must kill and be off with his 

 booty, instead of lying motionless in a heather clump at early 

 dawn, and watching at leisure the many animals which love to 

 roam at night stealing homewards to their dens. Edward, the 

 Banff naturalist, in his nocturnal rambles, only coincides with 

 the conviction possessed by sportsmen and observers all over 

 the world, that he who would see the lower animals in their 

 most fearless and congenial moods ought to watch for them at 

 night or early morn. Malcolm's intelligent face shaded by an 

 old solar-topee matches his wiry and athletic form ; and both 

 together assure a casual visitor to the kingdom of the birds, 

 now as fairly baffled with regard to the right track as Execes- 

 tides himself,* that he will readily point out the direction in 

 which the shortest path lies, and give information on the many 

 interesting birds and beasts of this district. Accordingly we 

 sink into the heather and gain the following facts from our chat 



* See Aristophanes, JheBirds, n. 



