THE GREAT BRAEMAR HART FINISHED. 233 



glen with fair feats of horsemanship." Gently now, my 

 feathered Mercury, I pray and beseech you not to swerve 

 so undecidedly to the north and to the south, but resolve 

 me at once towards which point of the compass you mean 

 to make your summerset ; for your pony, mark me, is a 

 recusant, and, sooth to say, I never saw any animal less 

 solicitous of another, than that beastie is of his rider. 

 There now, hope you 're not hurt. Pick him up, Charlie, 

 and take on the grappling-hooks to yon pool; you will 

 get the hart out easily there, for he will sweep round in 

 the cheek of the stream. 



Out he was taken triumphantly, and there he lay on the 

 greensward, bausy and sleek, " the admired of all ad- 

 jnirers." Some praised his beautiful form, and held up 

 his wide-spreading antlers ; whilst others (not oblivious of 

 currant-jelly) began to handle him after the fashion of 

 Parson Trulliber. Certain it is he enjoyed great posthu- 

 mous fame. 



But here comes Jamieson, hurried and heated with toil. 

 " Well, Thomas*, have you finished that great devil r"'f 



" Yes, I got him on Ben-y-venie, where he went last to 



came the principal fisherman. He was a powerful man, and a most 

 valuable and attached servant ; but never could acquire skill in the 

 ways of the deer. He rode so awkwardly that he seldom mounted a 

 pony without getting a fall. He was unfortunately drowned in the 

 Tay, near his own house, January 7. 1836, at the age of 71 years. 



* The author has kept the horns of this deer, which are splintered 

 at the points by coming in contact with the rocks when the dogs 

 escaped from the thrust. 



f Thomas Jamieson lived formerly at Abbotsford, and came into 

 the author's service many years ago with Sir Walter Scott's per- 

 mission : he now acts as principal gamekeeper ; and is in every way 

 a most valuable servant. 



