188 DAYS OF DEEK-STALKING. 



(owing to the nature of the ground), was a bad one in 

 itself. But who can make rapid way up a stony cataract ? 

 They scrambled and splashed, and fell forward on their 

 hands, and cut their shins, climbing over masses of rock 

 that were lying in the channel, and jumping from them 

 into the water-course, till, at length, the Duke's man got 

 hold of the delinquent's foot as he was just springing from 

 a rock above him. 



" Haud him fast, Donald, man dinna lowse him dinna 

 let him gang awa at ony gait." 



" Nae fear ava. The de'il a man ever got frae me when 

 it aince cam' to close grups." 



He was completely mistaken, however, for the fugitive 

 slipped out his foot, and left his shoe only prisoner, which 

 the wrathful hill-man sent at his head, accompanied by 

 some thundering Gaelic anathema. And now the poacher 

 dropped his gun ; perhaps he meant it as a lure, like the 

 fabled golden apple ; or, perhaps, it was done to favour his 

 speed. However this may be, he certainly made much 

 better play without it. 



When Donald, who was on the banks of the ravine, saw 

 how things were going on, he took the advantage of the 

 even ground, headed him, and then came down into the 

 chasm in front of him, so that our worthy friend was placed 

 between two fires. 



Thus have I seen two cunning terriers hem in a poaching 

 fox : they rage and press closely upon him, whilst the woods 

 and mountains ring with their shrill clamour. Meanwhile 

 the insulted beast, fixed in a position from which he sees no 

 escape, bears his brush against a rock, shows his white 

 teeth, and commences gallant defensive warfare. Not so 

 our hero ; he thought little of deeds of arms ; of fine and 

 imprisonment much. The spectre turnkey was before him, 

 and ugly visions of high grated walls and solitary dungeons 

 made him desperate. With the vault of Grimaldi he seized 

 hold of an impending branch of birch, swung himself aloft 

 by strength of arm, and fairly escaped from the abyss, 

 leaving his enemies gazing up from below. He got a capital 

 start, for the hill-men could not extricate themselves with 

 the same alacrity. 



