DECIDED COURSE TAKEN. 83 



shank of our hill ? they canna chuse but join them, and they 

 will come ; but it will be low doon." 



And now the skilful missionary, who had a clear and 

 commanding view of all these things, began to set to work 

 in a more determined manner ; he pressed forward rapidly, 

 still out of sight of both parcels of deer ; till at length, when 

 he came sufficiently forward, he dashed down the hill in 

 full view, shouting, hallooing, and hurling stones down the 

 mountain with all his might, going to and fro as the 

 deer shifted, slipping, clambering, and tumbling, in such 

 perilous places as would have endangered the life of a 

 mountain goat. Greatly to be feared he was, as Polyphemus, 

 when he hurled the rock at the Sicilian lovers ; but not 

 Maclaren, or Polypheme himself could have put these 

 reasoning animals into any state of confusion ; for, being 

 too distant from the tumult to be under any apprehension 

 of immediate danger, they continued to be perfectly de- 

 liberate in all their movements : it was like calm dignity 

 opposed to passion. 



The hinds last mentioned, which were opposite them, on 

 Ben-y-venie, collected and wheeled about, much admiring 

 what all these strange noises might portend. Now had the 

 decisive moment arrived when the thing must terminate 

 either one way or the other. 



But let us see what the rifle-men are about. When they 

 saw the hill -man storming, and heard the stones coursing 

 each other down the crags, they were aware that no time 

 was to be lost. Tortoise pressed his friend's arm : 



" Now, then, or never ! creep back quickly, and prepare 

 for action ; for, by Herne the hunter, they are coming ; low, 

 low, for heaven's sake ! We must get on to that large 

 stone, and they will all come into our very mouths. Now, 

 then, forward ! take this rifle, and hold well at the best 

 antlers when time shall serve; be steady, and fire well 

 forward, taking care not to drop the gun when you pull the 

 trigger. By Jove ! I see the points of their horns. Run 

 low, low, for heaven's sake ! this is not our time. Hark, 

 I hear them in the crags." 



The faint clatter of their hoofs was indeed heard by all, 

 as they were picking their way obliquely along the rocky 



