CH. I. OLD KEEPER AT ROSEHALL. 5 



keeper who was then my attendant, and found him 

 exactly on the same spot where I had seen him 

 twelve years ago, winking at the morning sun in 

 a manner peculiar to owls and inhabitants of 

 cottages full of peat smoke. I doubted his recog- 

 nising me after so many years, but was much 

 gratified at the pleasure and readiness with which 

 he did so, and at the vivid recollection which he 

 had of the corrie in which " my honour " had shot 

 my first stag under his guidance and tuition — 

 his tender inquiry too after my rifle, " the likes 

 of which never put down a deer in the country." 

 I returned the compliment by begging to be shown 

 my old acquaintance, " the double-barrel," a most 

 venerable flint gun, with singularly eccentric and 

 unreachable triggers, which no forefinger but his 

 own could ever pull. This ancient gun, however, 

 in his hands had laid low many an antlered head. 

 Though he affected to despise all new inventions, 

 I had a recollection of his always preferring a shot 

 with one of my percussion guns to the uncertain 

 chance of his own flint and steel. Many an old 

 story connected with stag and corrie, shealing and 

 whisky bottle, the old fellow called to my recol- 

 lection ; and I really saw with regret the last of 

 his weather-beaten face, as he bowed and gesticu- 

 lated to me as long as we continued in sight. 1 



