THE BIG STAG OF CORRIE VORTGHT 293 



and, for the hundredth time, had mysteriously eluded his 

 pursuers. Only once was this stag in a position for stalking, 

 and that was in this corrie ; then Lord Malmsbury very nearly 

 got to within rifle distance, but, alas! to the stag a friendly 

 roe-deer bounded up and warned of the danger, and the stalk in 

 consequence was defeated. The warning note of a grouse, the 

 run of a hare, the bound of a roe, or the flight of black-game, or 

 even the trot of a sheep, are each sufficient to communicate 

 danger to the deer, and, without stopping to inquire why these 

 creatures move, the stag avails himself of the hint and flies to 

 distant hills. 



It is obvious to me that if this "monster stag of Corrie 

 Vortght " eludes the rifle much longer, the Highlanders will give 

 him up as a myth or magical impossibility, and liken him to 

 " the great or awfu* stag of Gusa," who, in the mountains of 

 Lochiel, is said to have reformed the wicked shepherd. The 

 shepherd was a lawless fellow, and among other delinquencies 

 killed the deer, and, when remonstrated with by better-disposed 

 people, he vauntingly replied, " that, if the devil himself was to 

 forbid it, he still would have his share of the deer ; for, in his 

 opinion, he had as good a right to them as any Cameron in the 

 world." The day after this hardened declaration he was out as 

 usual tending the sheep, and narrowly scanning every spot that 

 might contain a stag. The day was gloomy, gusts of wind 

 seemed to come from all quarters of the sky, and the voices of 

 tempests were heard roaring through the distant corries, though 

 their force was not felt in the vicinity of this daring man. 

 " Hoot ! " he 'cried, as the wind whistled among the craigs of 

 Corrie Glass, "the mountain maks a din as if for a drap o' 

 whuskey." Well ! the day wore on without his seeing a deer, 

 when, suddenly, in a dell situated conveniently for a stalk, and 

 not more than two hundred yards from him, he beheld a mighty 

 stag ; he was feeding quietly, and there was yet light enough to 

 discern that on one horn he numbered fourteen points, while the 

 other was but one tall straight shank, with a brow antler, like 

 the heads of the deer of Knoidart. Strange sight as this was, 



