AUTUMNAL BLASTS. 323 



most pleasant of all commissions ; namely, that of an 

 injunction to kill as many harts as possible, and to take 

 possession of Forest Lodge, the best situation for sport in 

 the whole domain. Captain Stewart* of Murthly, an 

 active and skilful deer-stalker, had permission to take two 

 or three days' diversion from his quarters at Blair ; but as 

 better sport might be expected in Glen Tilt, Tortoise took 

 the liberty of asking him to repair to Forest Lodge, and 

 he came accordingly. It was arranged over-night, that 

 the Captain should take the cast east of Glen Croinie, 

 which had not been disturbed for a long time, and that his 

 friend should occupy the ground on the west of it. 



The season for deer-shooting was now nearly terminated, 

 and the brightness of the autumnal days had suffered 

 some diminution. The sun withdraws its beams from the 

 secluded Glen of the Tilt early in the evening, and returns 

 only in partial gleams, till the day is spread in full 

 splendour on the summits. Thus the air there is dank 

 and chill ; the leaves soon fall from the old weather-beaten 

 birches, and here and there they already stood amongst 

 the grey rocks, in all the nakedness of winter. Some, in 

 more sheltered spots, perhaps, retained their leaves longer, 

 half withered as they were, and shivering in the bitterness 

 of the blast. The weather was soon expected to break 

 up, and the silence of the great waste to be followed by 

 the howling of the storm and the roaring of the cataract. 



It was in this dubious season that our sportsmen were 



stationed in Glen Tilt : as they pass the night in the 



comfortable tent beds, the peats just expiring on the 



hearthstone, they hear, amid broken slumbers, the wind 



* Now coine to the baronetcy by the death of his brother. 



Y 2 



