DEER-COURSERS' EXPEDITION FROM COLONSAY. 353 



which it is now practised we are indebted to one of the 

 few sportsmen, who have had the good fortune to enjoy (of 

 late years at least) the pleasures of this exciting sport. 



It was on the evening of the llth of August, 1835, that 

 a party, consisting of six sportsmen, a boat's crew of seven 

 men, with piper, deer-stalker, and two deer-hounds, set 

 out from Colonsay, and landed on a beach on the north 

 and precipitous coast of Captain M'Neill's property in the 

 island of Jura, and having clambered up a broken and 

 rocky bank to the foot of a precipice which overhung the 

 sea, they entered by a gradual slope into a spacious and 

 picturesque cave, the mouth of which could not be dis- 

 covered from below. Their first care was to kindle a fire, 

 the smoke of which rose in a straight column to the roof, 

 and crept along almost imperceptibly to the opening, from 

 which it made its escape. Preparations were then made 

 for a repast, one of the sailors officiating as cook. His 

 knowledge of the science of gastronomy was not great, but 

 with the aid of the King of Oude, &c. &c., he contrived to 

 set before us a dish which would have done honour to a 

 greater artiste, and to which our good appetites enabled 

 us to do ample justice. Our repast concluded with the 

 never-failing accompaniment of whiskey toddy ; after which, 

 all were anxious for repose, that they might be on the alert 

 by break of day. 



By the side of the fire a couch was spread of dried ferns 

 and heather, such as fair Ellen provided for King James ; 

 but though our attendant was neither young nor of the 

 fair sex, we had the advantage over royalty in one respect, 

 being provided with a good stock of blankets, a comfort 

 not at all to be despised in such a situation. 



A A 



