RED DEER. IOI 



by directly crossing the heights, to arrive at the cabin 

 before the night shut in. He took this perilous direc- 

 tion accordingly ; but the rain was still falling fast, 

 and when he topped the ridge of the hills, the valley 

 beneath was covered by a dense mist. Presently the 

 mountain streams rose, the light failed to advance or 

 retreat was impossible ; and the isolated peasant had no 

 choice left but to seek a shelter in the rocks, and remain 

 there until morning dawned. He easily discovered 

 a fissure in the steep bank above the river, crept in 

 " blessed himself " and lay down to sleep upon his 

 cold and rugged bed. 



What situation could be more desolate and heart- 

 sinking than this ? Imprisoned among savage moun- 

 tains, perched in a wild rock far above the rest of mankind, 

 separated from human help by an impassable torrent, 

 cold, hungry, and exhausted ; yet all these dejecting 

 circumstances were unheeded by the hardy mountaineer. 

 He had but one source of terror : the otter-hunter had 

 often described this glen as a favourite haunt of fairies ; 

 and " what would become of him if the gentle- people 

 caught him there ? " 



The midnight hour passed, however, without any 

 supernatural visitation. No fairy revelry disturbed the 

 peasant's slumbers ; the rain ceased ; the flood was 

 falling ; the chough and raven were preparing to take 

 wing ; and while the first faint light was breaking through 

 the mountain mists, Cormac, anxious to quit his cheerless 

 bivouac, crawled out from his cold retreat. 



Suddenly, from above, an indistinct noise alarmed 

 him. Feet clattered down the rocky path ; a rush, 

 a snorting, announced their near approach, and a herd 

 of deer appeared within half a stone's cast. They 



