226 DATS OF DEEP-STALKING. 



" Whilst hunting lately in the island of Jura with his 

 deer-hounds (for he seldom carried a rifle), he came rather 

 suddenly upon three magnificent stags : he slipped his three 

 dogs upon them, and what is very singular, and proves their 

 spirit, each of them took a separate deer, and they all went 

 in different directions. After a long and arduous pursuit 

 over the rough hills of Jura, the stalker* at length got 

 sight of one of the deer standing at bay in some long 

 heather, in a deep hollow : he appeared to be quite ex- 

 hausted ; and the dog Oscar, one of the most powerful and 

 intrepid of the breed, was lying within a few yards of him 

 apparently done out. As soon, however, as his master 

 shouted his name, the gallant brute sprang at the stag's 

 throat, and a desperate battle ensued, in which the dog was 

 tossed three times in the air before his owner could get 

 quite up, and was thus severely wounded. 



"When the sportsman, who had only a little herd-boy 

 with him, reached the arena, the stag, without attempting 

 to make off, thrust at them right and left, whirling round 

 and round to defeat every attempt to grapple with him ; 

 the boy had his leg severely lacerated, when the deer- 

 stalker, who is a most muscular and powerful man, dashed 

 in, and seized the animal by the horns. The contest was 

 desperate and doubtful ; at length they both came to the 

 ground, when the hunting-knife finished the contest. 



" This same gentleman, whilst shooting sea-fowl, amongst 

 the rocks of Colonsay, perceived a large seal basking on 

 the shore ; he drew cautiously towards the spot, and gave 

 him the contents of his fowling piece, when the seal scuffled 

 over the rocks, in his way to his element. -Our enthusiastic 

 sportsman sprung from the boat, and, grappling with the 

 slippery brute just as he had reached the water, plunged 

 headlong with him into the sea, where a singular conflict 

 ensued, sometimes under water and sometimes in view, 

 before the people in the boat could manage to get hold of 

 either of the combatants; at length, however, they suc- 

 ceeded in dragging both the young laird and his fat friend 

 into the boat, to the great merriment and relief of his 



* It is necessary to be a good stalker in order to lay on the dogs properly. 



