POLTALLOCH 5 



blows vanished up the chimney. I thought we 

 had seen the last of him, but later in the day he 

 emerged, damp and sooty, from the fireplace of 

 another room where the housemaid was cleaning 

 up ; and a footman, attracted by her screams, came 

 to the rescue and made an end of him. 



Deer forests have not appreciated in value to 

 the same extent as grouse-moors and salmon-rivers. 

 There are various reasons for this difference, among 

 which may be noted the shortness of the stalking 

 season and the heavy expenses connected with the 

 sport ; but I think the fact is principally attribu- 

 table to the hospitable instincts of would-be ten- 

 ants of sporting rights. Many of these take places 

 mainly with the view of entertaining their friends ; 

 and a grouse-moor, especially one suited for driv- 

 ing, is more likely to give the greatest happiness 

 for the greatest number, than a forest where many 

 thousands of acres are necessary to provide sport 

 for two rifles a day. However, any sort of barren 

 moorland is now a gold-mine to many a needy 

 laird, and the same caution should be observed 

 in the investigation of the alluring advertisements 

 of agencies as in testing the bona fides and accu- 

 racy of prospectus-mongers and promoters. Caveat 

 emptor is the rule, and the description of the 

 adventures of Mr. Brixey and Mr. Fribbles in the 

 " Tommiebeg shootings " is hardly an exaggeration 

 of the deceits and allurements occasionally prac- 

 tised upon the tyro by a low class of agents, while 

 even the most scrupulous must of necessity rely 



