38 PKKK-lIl N TING OF (JVKKN MAKY. 



large fierce dog to be let loose on a wolf that appeared, the 

 leading deer, as we may call him, was terrified at the sight 

 of the dog, turned his back, and began to fly thither whence 

 they had conie : all the other deer instantly followed. 



" They were surrounded on that side by a line of High- 

 landers ; but well did these men know the power of this 

 close phalanx of deer, and at speed; and therefore they 

 yielded, and opposed no resistance; and the only means 

 left of saying their lives, was to fall flat on the heath in 

 the best posture they could, and allow the deer to run 

 over them. This method they followed; but it did not 

 save them from being wounded ; and it was announced to 

 the Queen that two or three men had been trampled to 

 death. 



" In this manner the deer would have all eseaped, had 

 not the huntsmen, accustomed to such events, gone after 

 them, and w r ith great dexterity headed and turned a de- 

 tachment in the rear; against these the Queen's stag- 

 hounds and those of the nobility were loosed, and a sue- 

 cessful chase ensued. Three hundred and sixty deer were 

 killed, five wolves, and some roes ; and the Queen and her 

 party returned to Blair delighted with the sport." 



If this account by Barclay is matter of fact throughout 

 (which I very much doubt), it would be curious to know 

 in what manner these 2000 men proceeded, and how they 

 consumed several weeks in bringing down 2000 head of 

 deer. Such a force of men, well and equally distributed, 

 would cover an immense tract of ground ; but the wind 

 must be changing upon them continually, and it must have 

 required the strictest order, and perhaps fires throughout 

 the line, to keep the deer in during the dark nights, at 



