The Deerhound. 123 



stronger force, including those who had been 

 engaged in hunting, and they fell upon the Picts. 

 A terrible struggle took place, one hundred of the 

 Picts were slain and " threescore gentlemen " on the 

 other side, besides a great number of commoners. 

 The latter, poor fellows, not being deemed worthy of 

 numeration in those bloodthirsty times, and, so long 

 as the hound was recovered, little thought would be 

 given to the dead " commoners " who fought for its 

 possession, and, it is stated, few of them ever knew 

 what the fight had been about. 



Another interesting story is that relating to the 

 family of St. Clair. King Robert Bruce, in follow- 

 ing the chase upon the Pentland Hills, had often 

 started a " white faunch deer," which always 

 escaped from his hounds. He asked his nobles 

 if any of them possessed dogs that they thought 

 might prove more successful. Naturally, there was no 

 one there so bold as to affirm his hounds better than 

 those of the sovereign, until Sir William St. Clair 

 came forward. He would wager his head that his 

 two favourite hounds, " Help," and " Hold," would 

 kill the deer before she could cross the March burn. 

 Bruce, evidently of a sporting turn, at once wagered 

 the Forest of Pentland Moor, to the head of the 

 bold Sir William, against the accomplishment of 

 the feat. The deer was roused by the slow, or drag 



