290 A RIDE ON A STAG. 



forward with Donald on his back, who grasped with might 

 and main by the horns, to keep his seat in a sportsmanlike 

 manner. No easy matter, I trow, for the animal made 

 right down the rugged side of a hill with headlong speed, 

 to a stream in the glen below, and dashed through it, still 

 bearing his anxious rider with the knife in his mouth, 

 which he had neither time nor ability to use. When, 

 however, this gallant pair reached the opposite side of the 

 glen, and the deer began to breast the hill and relax his 

 speed, Donald was enabled so far to collect his bewildered 

 senses as to get hold of his knife ; and he absolutely con- 

 trived to plunge it into his throat. The deer fell forward 

 in the death struggle, and Donald made a summerset of 

 course. In consequence of this extraordinary feat, the 

 man has been dubbed by the people with a new and ap- 

 propriate name in Gaelic, which my authority (Mr. Skene) 

 told me he could not pretend either to write or to pro- 

 nounce. This was dexterous work; but there are innu- 

 merable examples of the spirit and determination of 

 Scottish sportsmen : and whilst the deer are being gral- 

 loched, I may as well mention an adventure that happened 

 to a very celebrated and enthusiastic deer-stalker, whose 

 name I am not at liberty to mention. 



" Whilst hunting lately in the island of Jura with his 

 deer-hounds (for he seldom carried a rifle), he came rather 

 suddenly upon three magnificent stags; he slipped his 

 three dogs upon them, and, what is very singular, and proves 

 their spirit, each of them took a separate deer, and they 

 all went in different directions. After a long and arduous 

 pursuit over the rough hills of Jura, the stalker* at length 



* It is necessary to be a good stalker in order to lay on the dogs 

 properly. 



