248 HIGHLAND VAMPIRE. 



in the house, one of them undertook to fetch some : for 

 this purpose he was obliged to get out of the window. 

 Having put forth his legs first, he was resting his arms 

 on the window-sill, with his face fronted to the interior of 

 the cottage. Whilst in this position, he began to scream 

 with all his might, roaring out that some fiend had hold 

 of his leg, and was tearing it and sucking his blood. At 

 length, by a violent struggle, he extricated himself, and 

 gained the ground, still in great fright and pain. In 

 searching round he could see neither man nor beast, nor 

 any living thing. But he very gravely asserted that he 

 saw some white objects and some faint blue lights at a 

 distance, which continually shifted their situations, and at 

 length vanished entirely. 



Having procured water, he did not venture to return 

 through the window ; but the door was broken open by 

 the united efforts of himself and his companion. They 

 spent the night in a state of superstitious alarm, nor could 

 they on the following morn discover the track of man or 

 beast about the place ; their own footsteps alone were vi- 

 sible. The injury remained for a considerable period ; the 

 man, indeed, bore the marks of it all his life, as many 

 people now living at Blair can testify. This occurrence, 

 remaining unaccounted for, had such an effect, that no 

 poacher took up his quarters at Felaar Cottage in after 

 times. 



Men of this description usually set forth at night when 

 the keepers have retired, that they may be on the desired 

 ground betimes in the morning ; thus they gain some hours 

 upon them. If the wind serves, their first manoeuvre is 

 to get the deer out of the forest, which is very easily done; 



