60 AUTUMNS IN ARGYLESHIRE 



to make a long circuit before we could cross any 

 running water, large packs of grouse rising many 

 gunshots away as we advanced. It had been a 

 wild night, and they all had their heads up and 

 were ready to take alarm at the slightest danger. 

 It was bitterly cold, and the rain had been sleet 

 on the high hills ; but we were warm enough 

 with excitement and exercise ; and welcomed the 

 " brave north-easter " as if we had been Kingsley 

 himself. An eagle soared over the highest peak 

 in the distance, and before we got to the spying 

 place a small flock of ptarmigan ran along close 

 to our feet, and only took to flight upon com- 

 pulsion and under protest. At another time such 

 objects would have filled us with excited delight, 

 but to-day we were after our first stag, and any 

 meaner creature seemed hardly worthy of notice. 

 It seemed as though we should never begin the 

 real sport of the day, although we had certainly 

 lost no time in covering the ground on our way 

 out. At last Donald reached a large rock just 

 below the summit of the brae, overlooking a 

 corrie, bounded on the opposite side by a steep 

 and rocky hillside. With what eagerness we 

 watched his impassive face as he made himself 

 comfortable, steadied his glass with his stick, and 

 took the usual deliberate survey of all the ground 

 around him ! We also did our best to spy ; but 

 the work was new to us, and we did not know 

 where to look, or we could hardly have failed to 



