232 DAYS OF DEEE-STALKING. 



to speak the truth, he was altogether as lean, ragged, and 

 shabby a beast as I ever saw. If I was not ashamed of him , 

 I am a soused gurnet." 



(Madaren, touching his hat.) " Ye held at better game 

 afterwards atween the shank of Ben-y-chait and the El rich, 

 when Charlie Crerer was with ye. Ye'll mind when ye 

 creepit up to four harts to tak' a quiet shot ; ye got within 

 a lang distance, and took the first deer with his braidside 

 towards ye as he was feeding, and lying as ye were yoursel' 

 all alang in the heather, and the ball passed through his 

 heart. And then ye jumpit up, and kilt other twa, ane 

 after the ither, as they were skelping awa', and thus we 

 got three beasties out of four. They say ye steppit the 

 ground afterwards, and that the first deer stuid one hunder 

 and forty yards frae ye. The last must have been an awf u' 

 distance." 



" Aye, Peter ; a true bill that. More by token that my 

 fingers tingle yet with recollection of the hearty Highland 

 grip that Charlie gave me when he saw the deed ; for he's 

 a fine shot, and a dear lover of the sport himself. But if 

 we boast thus of our past deeds, we shall be thought to 

 have lost all hope of equalling them in future." 



While thus speaking, Tortoise had been watching the 

 villain eagle. How easily, thought he, I could stop thy 

 murderous career for ever ! " Now, Jamieson, could I come 

 in upon that beastie by sinking the hill, going round by 

 the west, and coming up the hollow by a side-wind, whilst 

 his keen eye is fixed upon you and the deer ; but the day is 

 far on, and we must be true to our time, and yet it grieves 

 me, for these eagles are very difficult of approach, even by the 

 most skilful sportsman, and it is very seldom one has such 

 a good opportunity. Instances of success, however, some- 

 times occur ; and the most extraordinary one I ever heard 

 of was related to me by my friend Mr. Skene of Rubislaw. 

 Listen to ifc, Harry. 



" Whilst staying with his relation at Abergeldie, he met 

 a herd-boy coming down the avenue, labouring under the 

 burthen of what appeared to be some weighty animal, 

 trailing on the ground behind him, and held by a leg over 

 each shoulder ; he concluded it was a roe-deer, but found on 



