50 AUTUMNS IN ARGYLESHIRE 



which does not indulge in blood-curdling groans 

 and clanking of chains ; but quiet as they may be, 

 I can hear something already the deep notes 

 of Wayward and Valorous ; and I instinctively 

 clutch my rifle as they seem at first to be coming 

 in my direction. I catch just a glimpse of a 

 tawny skin crossing the hill about a quarter of a 

 mile behind me, and then of the two hounds ; but 

 soon they seem to have changed their direction, 

 and a loud report, followed by an ominous silence, 

 tells me that I am not likely to see that roe alive, 

 and that I have a little leisure to look about me. 

 To the west, across the flat peat moss, I can see 

 the mouth of the Add spanned by the bridge we 

 recently crossed, with the low part of Jura just 

 visible behind. In the far north the double peak 

 of Ben Cruachan is just visible as a pale shadow 

 above another range of hills. The wild blue rock- 

 pigeons are flying to and fro along the slaty cairn 

 which bounds the glade immediately below me, 

 while, overhead, cormorant, gull, and heron are 

 winging a stately and steady flight between Lochs 

 Fyne and Crinan. But already the hounds are 

 giving tongue again, and I must attend to business. 

 About three hundred yards away some sheep 

 take a short scamper, then gather in a cluster, 

 and stare in their silly way in the direction from 

 which the hounds are coming. No doubt the roe 

 is there, but he is keeping under the height ; 

 for I fail to catch a sight of him until, a few 



