52 DAYS OF DEER-STALKING. 



conflicts and skirmishes that were of frequent occurrence 

 in those days. 



This memorable appearance of Glasnabhean * took place 

 in the year 1589 ; and I think it very probable that it was 

 a gun taken from the wreck of a vessel belonging to the 

 Spanish Armada, which was cast on the Scotch shores in 

 the year 1584. Early in the following century, more 

 serviceable, but still very rude guns, having the barrel 

 attached to the stock by iron hoops, were introduced 

 generally into Sutherland. These did not, however, 

 entirely supplant the bow and arrow until after the middle 

 of the seventeenth century. The spear was used at a more 

 remote period against the boar and the wolf, and also in 

 killing wounded deer. 



The bow had one advantage over the gun, namely, that of 

 being noiseless ; so that, if the stalker were well concealed, 

 he might repeat his shots without giving much alarm. 



The sport afforded by the deer to the lovers of the chase 

 with hound and horn (by which I mean hunting on scent, 

 without the aid of rifles,) has always ranked high amongst 

 the amusements of the upper ranks of civilised nations. 

 In Germany, France, and England, up to a comparatively 

 recent period, a pack of staghounds formed part of the 

 establishment of every sovereign prince and wealthy noble ; 

 and this branch of the " Arte of Venerie " was reduced by 

 rule and method almost to a science, and pursued in a 

 stately and magnificent manner according to recognised 

 principles, which are treated of at length in many works of 

 the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. But this is a 

 field into which I have no intention of entering. 



In this country, I believe, the stag is now hunted in his 

 wild state only in Devonshire, and in the New Forest, and 

 even there the animal is daily becoming scarcer. Stag- 

 hunting was never probably practised in the same way in 

 the Highlands of Scotland, the nature of the country offer- 

 ing great obstacles to this mode of pursuit on horseback. 



It is mentioned in a letter, printed by the late Lord 



* Sir Robert Gordon ascribes the name of Glasnabhean to John Beaton, 

 the person who had charge of the gun, and used it in the skirmishes in 

 company with Angus Baillie. 



