START FROM BRUAR LODGE. 215 



The first who started for the sport were Tortoise and 

 his men, of whom Jamieson was the chief a fine, straight, 

 sinewy, well-favoured man he was, with as good wind, as 

 cool judgment, and as quick an eye for deer as any man 

 on the hills. They had slept, as had been noted, at Bruar 

 Lodge, about nine miles north of Blair, that they might 

 begin at the outskirts of the preserved part of the forest. 

 As soon as the morning mist was dispersed, they were 

 breathing the fresh air on the summit of Ben Dairg, 

 sitting upon the red stones, and prying with their glasses 

 into every part of the vast forest that lay expanded before 

 them, more especially and minutely examining those 

 places that were under the wind, the warm corries, and 

 the best pastures. They had hitherto seen nothing but 

 hinds ; but, as such gear only spoil sport, they took care 

 to give them their wind, and send them out north, that 

 they might at once get rid of them. 



It was now far on towards the rutting season; and, 

 as the party advanced, and looked over the Elrich, they 

 saw a parcel of hinds with a master hart, who had made 

 this very Turkish collection for his sole individual gratifi- 

 cation ; these were to be kept, as they were obtained, 

 by the strong antler. Like the Athenians in their pros- 

 perity, these martial fellows acknowledged no law but that 

 of force. 



Whilst the hart was walking proudly with the hinds, a 

 hoarse roar comes over the ridge of the hill ; it is the 

 menace of war nearer and louder it falls upon the ear ; 

 and, lo ! the angry rival appears on the sky-line. He 

 halts upon a projecting crag, swelling, jutting out his 

 neck, and drawing himself up to his full proportions 



p 4 



