294 REMINISCENCES OF A HUNTSMAN 



it only added to the shepherd's desire to kill the deer; so, 

 pulling forth his gun, he put it together, and, creeping on his 

 hands and knees, soon reached a small knoll, on the other side 

 of which, and within ten yards of it, he knew the stag to be 

 feeding. Peering through the heather, the extraordinary horns, 

 still at their feed, appeared close to him ; so, raising himself 

 gently on one knee, he aimed his gun, and was about to fire, 

 but scarcely had his finger begun to feel for the trigger when 

 up went the head of the stag, the eyes bent full on him, but 

 ere he could discharge his gun, to his horror instead of at a 

 deer he found himself aiming at the heart of a tall dark man, 

 with flames playing about his head, who, clenching his fist in a 

 threatening attitude, dared him to fire. Down went the 

 shepherd in a swoon; when he came to himself he found his 

 gun was broken in two. Late it was that night ere he reached 

 his cot. Whisky and gun alike abandoned, he was never after 

 known to swear, and, so sedate and thoughtful had his reforma- 

 tion made him, that to the end of his days he was alluded to as 

 " the man that winna smile." 



I was surprised to find in these enlightened days, and par- 

 ticularly among Scotsmen, who are usually well educated, the 

 amount of superstition in the Highlands still existing. If some 

 foresters, when going out deer-stalking, meet an old woman with 

 nothing on her head and feet, they pronounce her a witch, and 

 give up the sport of the day as hopeless ; having crossed her 

 path is a fact of ill luck, rendering all human skill in vain. It 

 is a peculiarly unfortunate thing, this idea of theirs, because, if 

 you do meet an old woman, she is sure to be so denuded ; and 

 the chances, therefore, are very much against you. If a blue 

 hare appears, and ceases from her very odd and elfish-looking 

 flight to sit up on her hinder-legs on the sky-line, or anywhere 

 else, to muse on those who have alarmed her, that also is enough 

 to make some foolish Highlanders deem that all luck for the 

 time is over. Indeed, I know an instance of superstition still 

 more ridiculous in the eyes of a sensible man. A friend of 

 mine missed his forester from behind him, and, on looking back, 



