THE SPORT BEGINS. 325 



and ate chines of beef at sunrise, with true feminine 

 alacrity. Well, let this pass. Our temptations were ve- 

 hement we own ; but we do not say we indulged them ; 

 and, having before discussed this subject, it does not be- 

 come us to resume it. We are already on our shelties, 

 replete or empty, it matters not. 



And now the ponies plant their feet heavily, and go 

 winding and tugging up the mountain. Captain Stewart 

 strikes off with his men to the right. "Good sport to 

 you, Captain, and a steady hand ! " 



Tortoise aspires at once to reach the nearest sky line ; 

 the bogs soon become deep, and the pony is sent back to 

 the regions below. Onward he strides on foot, lessening 

 to the sight by degrees, till he is dimly seen from the glen, 

 and soon entirely lost in the mountain mist. As no ope- 

 rations can be carried on during such an impediment to 

 the view, the party sit down in a little hollow near the 

 summits, where a small burn creeps lazily through the 

 mosses. But the vapours rise speedily, and form into 

 small clouds, that begin to dapple the distant mountain 

 peaks : onward move the party cheerily ; the day promises 

 fairly : the wind is propitious : Care with her hollow eyes 

 sails scowling through the vapour, and leaves our rifleman 

 with the comfortable prospect of a fair field for operations. 



The sport began unexpectedly ; for a few deer, that 

 could not be seen during the mist, broke out suddenly 

 from a hollow towards the east, at the back of the Grianan- 

 Moir, and raced away towards Cairn-chlamain. They 

 were at an awful distance ; but, as the course of the leadino* 

 ones was decided, and the tail ones in the hollow were 

 out of sight of the rifleman, he made a dash forward, and 



Y 3 



