DKMAILLET'S THEORY. 65 



never held better, and sure oughten'd a big deer to hae 

 a big load ? " 



" Admirably reasoned ; I had forgotten that, Peter. 

 Now, Lightfoot, what think you of deer-stalking ? " 



" Why, now we have got the deer, I must own it is 

 most glorious sport; from the time we began imitating 

 all the reptiles on the face of the earth, and bowing like 

 the Persian, my heart was throbbing with excitement. 

 It appeared as if all our craft and caution was to lead to 

 some great end an end not easily attained ; which, you 

 know, heightens the pleasure of success : and then the 

 bay was sublime positively awful ! To be plain with 

 you, however, I did not much relish gliding up the burn, 

 trout fashion, not being gifted with fins. And now I am 

 more than ever averse from Demaillet's theory, who con- 

 ceived the globe to have been covered with water for 

 many thousand years, and that, when the waters retreated, 

 the inhabitants of the sea became terrestrial animals, and 

 that man himself began his career as a fish." 



"Well, we will have a good round of whiskey, and a 

 health to the lord of the forest, who will smile when he 

 sees this fine fellow. You got on most capitally." 



" Why, yes, yes, pretty well over the moss-hags ; but 

 that confounded hill distressed me exceedingly ; that, 

 and rather a liberal breakfast drew hard upon my wind, 

 and I should not have been sorry to have gone all-fours 

 again. But I rallied capitally, did not I ? " 



" Rallied ! why I never saw you beat ; and, to say the 

 truth, these mountains are not so formidable as they 

 appear to be. I have been more oppressed in walking 

 over flats, mashing turnips with my feet, after those little 



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