AUTUMNS IN AKGYLESHIKE 

 WITH EOD AND' GUN 



CHAPTER I 

 POLTALLOCH 



IT was in 1846, more than half a century ago, that 

 Charles St. John published his " Wild Sports of 

 the Highlands," a collection of sketches of sport 

 and natural history which still holds the field as 

 one of the masterpieces of sporting literature. If 

 I hope that my random sketches of a later period 

 may prove of some interest, I trust I may be 

 acquitted of the presumption of challenging direct 

 comparison with a classic of such well-merited 

 fame. In addition to the qualifications of un- 

 rivalled power of observation, and an easy and 

 luminous style, St. John enjoyed the advantage of 

 a comparatively untrodden field, whereas there are 

 now few indeed of those who care for sport who 

 are not familiar with many parts of the Highlands. 

 Still an experience of more than thirty years, 

 mainly in one district peculiarly favourably situated 

 for the enjoyment of almost every variety of High- 



A 



