152 TOUR IN SUTHERLAND. CH. X. 



Ben Hee and Ben Cleebrick, I have generally seen 

 a number of hinds near the roadside ; but the stags, 

 or at any rate the older stags, keep higher up the 

 mountains. 



These plains must be excellent ground for run- 

 ning the deer-hounds on, and I wished much that I 

 could have remained long enough in the country 

 to see some of the dogs run a deer ; but being 

 summoned at the time to England, I was obliged 

 to depart without even the treat of passing some 

 days in the deer-forest, notwithstanding the Duke 

 of Sutherland's kind permission. Of course I 

 should have gone " unarmed" it being as early as 

 the middle of June ; but I am happy to say that 

 (although sportsman enough in my way) I can 

 enjoy watching and making acquaintance with 

 the actions and habits of so fine an animal as the 

 stag quite as much as endeavouring to kill him. 

 Without pretending to disown my love of deer- 

 stalking, I find an enjoyment in watching unseen, 

 and patiently, the animals in a manner which one 

 could not do, supposing oneself to be rifle in" hand ; 

 for then, such is the passion of mankind for the 

 chase, that I fancy few people exist who would not 

 be more intent on killing the stag than in quietly 

 looking at him. In the present instance, however, 

 I had little leisure for even looking at the deer. 



