A RIDE ON A STAG. 225 



(Handling the horns all the ivhile.) But why did you 

 throw away a charge upon your wounded deer, who was 

 lying extended in the bog, and at your mercy ? I should 

 have preferred close combat, like our friend the artist ; I 

 would have got across him, and seized him by the horns." 



" In which case you would have had a charming ride, 

 like the late Glengarry, or like the forester of the present 

 chief of Clanchattan, who, in passing last summer* through 

 the forest of Stramashie, near Loch Laggan, descried the 

 horns of a stag above the heather at some distance ; and 

 taking advantage of the cover of a grey stone on the lee- 

 side of the animal's lair, crept cautiously up to him, whilst 

 he was apparently asleep. He had no rifle, but opened his 

 deer-knife, which he placed between his teeth that his 

 hands might be free, and then threw himself suddenly upon 

 the stag. Up started the astonished beast, and sprung for- 

 ward with Donald on his back, who grasped him with 

 might and main by the horns, to keep his seat in a sports- 

 manlike manner. No easy matter, I trow, for the animal 

 made right down the rugged side of a hill with headlong 

 speed, to a stream in the glen below, and dashed through 

 it, still bearing his anxious rider with the knife in his 

 mouth, which he had neither time nor ability to use. When, 

 however, this gallant pair reached the opposite side of the 

 glen, and the deer began to breast the hill and relax his 

 speed, Donald was enabled so far to collect his bewildered 

 senses as to get hold of his knife ; and he absolutely con- 

 trived to plunge it into his throat. The deer fell forward 

 in the death-struggle, and Donald made a summerset of 

 course. In consequence of this extraordinary feat, the man 

 has been dubbed by the people with a new and appropriate 

 name in Gaelic, which my authority (Mr. Skene) told me 

 he could not pretend either to write or to pronounce. This 

 was dexterous work ; but there are innumerable examples 

 of the spirit and determination of Scottish sportsmen : and 

 whilst the deer are being gralloched, I may as well relate 

 an adventure that happened to a celebrated and enthusiastic 

 deer-stalker, whose name I am not at liberty to mention. 



* The summer of 1837. 



