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aware that he (Breck) knew that they had got the stag, 

 when a fawn, in the Atholl forest ; as well as that they 

 frequently poached both deer and moor-fowl there ; so 

 that, under these considerations, they gave up the pet for 

 a Scotch pint. Peter, however, had still to reckon with 

 the shepherds ; but he held their attack lightly, and told 

 them, that they were repaid tenfold by their depredations 

 on the Atholl forest, thanked them for the care they had 

 taken of his fawn, and advised them never to steal an 

 honest man's whiskey again, taking advantage of his being 

 asleep. 



In the year 1773, two poachers set forth from the 

 Braemar country in quest of deer ; the weather had been 

 lowering for some time, and when they arrived at Tarff 

 Side, they were overtaken by a snow storm ; it was not, 

 however, severe ; and when it cleared up, the wind being 

 north, they soon got a parcel of deer out of the forest of 

 Atholl : these made a long start, as they always do when 

 the wind is in that quarter ; thus the men had them quite 

 away from the preserved part of the forest, and in a 

 situation where they were not likely to be interfered 

 with. 



After considerable manoeuvring, which occupied the 

 greater part of the day, they wounded a hind, and traced 

 her a long distance by her blood-drops on the snow. In 

 the mean time, as the day drew near a close, the wind 

 rose, and the snow-blast returned with greater violence; 

 and having been intent on following the traces of the 

 wounded deer, they had wandered about till they were 

 completely lost. In this condition they heaped up a few 

 stones and turfs, and having their plaids, and some oat- 



