218 THE GREAT BRAEMAR HART. 



<f I could pick him out from aw the harts in the forest, 

 and gie evidence against him, for he is a wary beast, and 

 we have had sair work wi' him, he has led us mony a mile ! " 



Dispositions were now made for getting the herd for- 

 ward into Glen Croinie ; this was easily done, though it 

 took up some time, for it was necessary to place a man 

 towards the east, and another to the north, the sportsmen 

 remaining on the western hill. These men soon arrived 

 at their stations, and came forward at the concerted mo- 

 ment, working well together. So distant were they, that 

 they could scarcely be discerned through the telescope. 

 The herd soon took the alarm, and began to put themselves 

 in motion. They drew closer together, the hinds gazed 

 around them, and the harts, rising up from their lair, 

 tossed up their antlers, and stood erect in their full pro- 

 portion. As the hill-men advanced slowly and cautiously, 

 the deer closed, and went forward leisurely; they then 

 made a halt on the face of the hill, and formed into a 

 beautiful group ; but, as the drivers persevered, they drew 

 out into a long string, and went at an easy pace up the 

 steep towards Glen Croinie ; arrived at the summit, they 

 mended their pace, and each deer galloped over the scalp 

 of the hill as if all the rifles of Atholl were at his heels, so 

 that, in a few moments more, the whole herd were fairly 

 in the glen. 



There never had been the slightest doubt of the success 

 of this operation : all Tortoise's anxiety leaned towards 

 the small parcel which contained the great Braemar deer. 

 When the general alarm took place these stood and gazed 

 like the rest, and advanced some way as if to join them ; 

 till at length, when they made off, the proud leader stopped 



