92 AUTUMNS ON THE SPEY. 



bead turned away from us. Even when thus 

 foreshortened, he looked a giant among the 

 others, two or three of whom, as well as several 

 hinds, were grazing on either side of him. The 

 wind too was all right, and McKay urged that no 

 time should be lost in backing out of our present 

 position as cautiously as we had reached it, and 

 after returning by our former track to the burn, 

 that we should crawl down it again as far as a 

 stunted birch-tree on the same side of the bank, 

 not more than two hundred yards off, under cover 

 of which I could get a broadside shot at the stag 

 when he rose from his lair and commenced feed- 

 ing. Before retiring, however, I could not help 

 throwing one more admiring glance on the land- 

 scape below. The lofty hill of Corryhabbie, and 

 beyond this the still higher Ben Beunis, with 

 white clouds capping its summit, rose at the 

 opposite side of Glenfiddich, while a limited view 

 of the middle distance, immediately in front, was 

 bounded to the right and left by the sides of the 

 corrie which in dark shadow seemed to frame the 

 sides of the picture. 



Hardly had I obtained more than a glimpse oi 

 this lovely scene when a distant croaking sound 

 attracted my attention. I had no difficulty in 

 recognizing it, although it was the first time I 



