CH. X. HIGHLAND DEER- STALKER. 155 



share than men of the same rank of life brought 

 up in the Lowlands. 



Though a Highland deer-stalker may sometimes 

 break loose and have a day's bout at whisky, he is 

 not, generally speaking, at all an intemperate man : 

 two weaknesses he may have — snuff and smoke ; 

 the mull, with its spoon of wood or eagle's quill 

 (that not a grain may be lost), and the well-smoked 

 and short clay pipe, are his constant companions. 

 If he misses his stag after a severe stalk, he takes a 

 few whiffs to console himself: if he succeeds, and has 

 his hand already on the prostrate body of the object 

 of his pursuit, the pipe comes into play. The 

 first thing in the morning, while looking from the 

 shealing door to see which way the wind blows, 

 there is the pipe between his teeth : and when re- 

 turning from his day's work he smokes the pipe 

 of retrospection, while he calls to mind all the 

 different hits and failures of the pursuit. Having 

 reached home, fed himself and dogs, and had his 

 moderate allowance of whisky, twenty to one but 

 he walks out, pipe in mouth, to see which way the 

 clouds are drifting, so as to speculate on the weather 

 of the morrow, or perhaps to listen to the nocturnal 

 cries of the birds and animals of the mountain or 

 loch. You seldom see him fill his pipe ; it seems 

 ready charged, always fit for action, and also self- 



