SHADES OF OSSIAN'S HEROES. 99 



comes somewhat late, to be sure ; but it may be of service 

 to you hereafter. 



" But you really came too late into the world, sir, and 

 should rather have flourished in the time of the Lapithae : 

 I am convinced you would have been as wonderful as the 

 best of them, at least the poets would have made you so, 

 which, when a man is dead, you know is the same thing ; 

 and, indeed, had you to-day advanced much closer in the 

 combat with this dun beast, you might by this time have 

 been a ghost, and taken your rank amongst the shades 

 of Ossian's heroes. His horns stab fiercely, and when 

 attacked, he is altogether very redoubtable. 



" Still I do homage to your wonderful activity, as well 

 as to your gallant bearing : overtake you we could not, 

 practised and trained as we are ; though this may be in 

 some measure accounted for from our previous exertions 

 the extent of which you will comprehend when I tell 

 you that we brought this stag from yon mountain top, 

 which you see melting into air in the extreme distance 

 and that from the said point to the place where we now 

 stand, we have pulled up but twice, and that but for a 

 brief space. We have had some sharp bursts, I promise 

 you, which you have been pleased to extend : my friend, 

 whom you see coming up, will bear witness to this. But 

 really, now all is well over, I am much gratified at the 

 pleasure you have received. We do not see such sets-to 

 every day." 



The wounded stag had by this awkward encounter 

 taken the deer-stalkers so far out of their cast, that the 

 day's sport was considered as ended. So the whiskey- 

 EC 2 



