52 AUTUMNS IN ARGYLLSHIRE 



the dead roe. It is not always prudent to leave 

 one's rifle behind. On a former occasion I was 

 not so fortunate. A roebuck had crossed me at 

 the very pass I now occupy, not twenty yards off, 

 and I rolled him over and over ; but when I had 

 almost got up to him, he jumped up and bolted 

 off as if nothing had happened, and " I was left 

 lamenting." No doubt the ball had either struck 

 his horn or just grazed the spine, merely stun- 

 ning him for a moment, for I could detect no 

 trace of a wound upon him with my glass as he 

 galloped away, and he got clear off, though the 

 hounds were close upon his trail. 



By the time I have done justice to the excel- 

 lent lunch, consisting of half a cold grouse, a but- 

 tered roll, and a slice of cake, washed down with 

 a little whisky and water, at least two more roe 

 have passed me within range ; in one case age, 

 and in the other sex, protected them. In neither 

 instance were they being hunted, but they had 

 evidently been disturbed either by the dogs or 

 the keepers, and were trying to steal away. How 

 easily that little buck with mere buttons of horns 

 negotiates the stone dyke below, with the wire 

 on the top of it ! The doe knows her way about 

 better, and does not take the trouble to jump the 

 fence, but makes straight for the little passage 

 through the dyke, which arches over a small 

 stream hardly big enough to be dignified with 

 the title of burn. I am half through a medita- 



