236 DAYS OF DEER-STALKING. 



from a million. His horns were very white, and his body 

 had a tendency to mouse colour ; sleek and dainty he was 

 all over. It was the third hart which had escaped the rifles 

 on Cairn Cherie. 



Stop, caitiff, traitor ! but you may fall yet 



" Nescis, heu perdite, nescis 

 Quern fugias ; hostes incurris dum fugis hostem." 



It is now the appointed time when the parties were 

 expected in the wood. It was ascertained by their glasses 

 that the Duke's men were properly stationed on Crag 

 Urrard ; the drivers therefore continued to get forward the 

 herd, which had collected and rested awhile; now they 

 crowned the Scalp of Meal-Remahr, and went streaming 

 down into the vast basin of Corrie-crombie. Many there 

 were who remained on the hill as sentinels ; these, however, 

 joined the rest as Tortoise came on. Maclaren, who was on 

 the east, had been strengthened by a force judiciously 

 placed by John Crerer ; and the craft now devolved upon 

 these men. Tortoise and his friend, not daring to come 

 forward, lay down on the heather stumps, conversing in 

 scarcely audible whispers. 



" They will pass over Na-Shean-Tulichean, or the green 

 knowes which you. see before you : how easily could we have 

 them by getting a little forward ! But it must not be ; 

 here we will abide ; only this : when the great herd have 

 fairly passed over the knowes, should some fatigued beast 

 bring up the rear, ' to stop too fearful, and too fat to go,' 

 we shall do no mischief if we get on and salute him with 

 our rifles." 



" Hist, hist ! by heavens, they are coming ! how strong 

 they smell!* They must be very near; I hear their 

 trampling. Heaven bless you, keep down ! low low : do 

 not peep ; you will ruin us for ever. Your mouth in the 

 heather, if you please : close close ; even unto suffoca- 



* A large herd of deer may be smelt at a very considerable distance, 

 particularly after they have been much driven. The writer of these pages 

 has often been governed in his movements by their taint, when they have 

 been below him amongst the steep crags, over which he could not descend 

 to look, for fear of not being able to recover his ground in time, and thus 

 losing the command of the hill. The taint, though of a different nature, is 

 fully as strong as that of the ground in which sheep have been folded. 



