140 DAYS OF DEER-STALKING. 



of the tempest and all the barriers that rugged nature threw 

 across your course hear not, I beseech you, the recreant 

 thought that came across our mind. Alas, had not your 

 generous spirit departed prematurely ; had not the mournful 

 sound of your coronach been borne on the hollow blast 

 through your rocky glens and mountains, lamented as you 

 were by many a true heart and brave clansman ; oh, had 

 you still lived, buoyant in all your strength and national 

 spirit, I would have sung lo Pceans to your triumphs ;: 

 though, after this confession, candid as it is, your heart 

 never would have warmed towards me again, which you 

 once told me it did, as being the descendant of a borderer. 



The thought of going to the halls of Blair, however, with 

 the deer in view, was transient as it was degenerate ; and, 

 to do ourselves justice, never would have occurred to us for 

 a moment, had not the cast been nearly finished, the chance 

 almost as nothing, and had not visions of warm fires, hospi- 

 tality, and happiness floated invitingly around the old 

 towers of the castle, already in view ; in other words, had 

 we not at that moment been somewhat of a milksop. A blush 

 came over our storm-beaten cheeks ; we vamped up our wet 

 courage, and were determined to await the event. 



Long, very long, did the party remain under the wrath 

 of Jupiter Pluvius ; for the pasture was good, and the deer 

 were in no hurry to quit it ; and, as the men were locked 

 in, they could not move till the deer did. At length they 

 began to draw on slowly over the hill ; two or three dis- 

 appeared, others followed, but more lagged behind. 



" Will they never go ? Yes, yes, they seem to be all 

 drawing on ; and now, by Jove, they are all fairly over r 

 except that jealous hind. Fix your glass steadily upon her, 

 Peter, and do not speak till she shall be clearly out of sight 

 when we are standing up ; try it first on your knees, and 

 raise yourself slowly." 



Fraser looked awhile, then shut up his glass rapidly, say- 

 ing, " Noo's yer time, she is clean awa'." 



Up they sprung, and away they went at high speed, 

 steeped and drenched as they were with the rain, which 

 had never ceased for a moment. Sometimes they stuck 

 a 1 most knee deep in old heather, amidst large blocks of 



