DONALD M'KAY'S DEEK-TRAP. 13 



barn, and barred it in with sticks and fir roots, in such a 

 manner that no beast or person could get at it. 



About the end of November a very heavy fall of snow 

 came on, and the ground was wholly covered with it. The 

 second or third night after the storm fell, the wind was 

 from the west ; and Donald spread the sheaves on the 

 rafters, the barn door giving eastward : he then threw the 

 door wide open, and tied a long rope of hair to it, the end 

 of which he took in at the only window that was behind 

 the dwelling house. Well did he know that the storm 

 would drive the deer to his house in the still hour of night, 

 to search for the least particle of such fodder as might be 

 dropped betwixt the barn and the byre in feeding the 

 bestial. He therefore took his station within the window, 

 with the end of the tether in his hand. He had not been 

 long in this situation before he saw the gaunt and starving 

 animals approaching. They came forward slowly and 

 cautiously, stopping at intervals, and examining every 

 object : at length the cravings of nature prevailed, and two 

 hinds walked into the barn, and began eating the corn. 

 The stags soon followed ; and some of them had great 

 difficulty in getting their antlers through the narrow door. 



As soon as ten deer had fairly entered, Donald pulled 

 the tether, and made the door secure. More blithe than 

 before, he set off a second time for Tongue, travelling as 

 fast as his legs could carry him. On his arrival, he craved 

 an audience of Lord Beay, and told him in Gaelic that he 

 had followed his advice and pounded ten of his deer. " I 

 might," said he, " as well have had a hundred as ten ; but 

 I could not afford to give them straw whilst I came to 

 report the affair to your lordship." 



