28 AUTUMNS IN ARGYLESHIRE 



know where the second should be, and mechani- 

 cally I turn my glass upon the spot. Oh, shame ! 

 is that the way a soldier (and a colonel to boot) 

 watches his pass ? He is lying at full length in 

 the heather, he has taken off his Norfolk jacket, 

 and his white shirt shines conspicuous to the 

 naked eye worse, he has covered his head with a 

 towel he brought with a view to bathing, and he 

 is waving a bunch of brackens, and doubtless 

 objurgating the flies and midges, while his rifle 

 lies unheeded beside him. Well, no doubt, the 

 insects are pretty bad down there out of the wind, 

 but surely he will hear the hounds coming towards 

 him, and rouse himself to a sense of his position. 

 If not, I am well assured that no self-respecting 

 deer will come within a quarter of a mile of such 

 a conspicuous object. As I expected, the deer 

 has turned, for I hear the cry of the hounds 

 coming nearer to me, although still a long way 

 off. 



Is that a seal just off the small promontory a 

 little this side of the landing-place? No, it is 

 the deer, and he is making straight for the island 

 opposite, looking neither to the right hand nor 

 to the left. He swims very deep in the water, 

 nothing but his head showing, with his horns 

 well thrown back so as almost to touch his back, 

 bringing his grand brow antlers prominently for- 

 ward. Now, had the boatmen understood orders, 

 he would have been ours, but in spite of my 



