42 FORAYS AMONG SALMON AND DEER. 



view far down into the glen before us, and over the 

 whole of the sloping side of the hill, except a space of 

 perhaps a hundred yards, which was hidden by a ledge 

 of rock running across the brae like a bar. Step by 

 step we watched the whole herd ascend. There were 

 three stags, with good heads, which mingled with the 

 rest ; but one majestic hart kept ever a pace ahead of 

 all, as though " the monarch of the glen " deigned not 

 to mix among the common herd. The rest were either 

 "yeld hinds" ("those who this season have borne no 

 calf), or hinds followed by their calves, which, "skipped 

 like young goats " as they sprang from rock to rock. 



Our object was to remain concealed, if possible, 

 until their noble leader had passed us, and then to 

 shoot him ; or at least, not to fire at him until he had 

 advanced too far to be able to retreat down the brae 

 again, in which case, our shot being unheard amid 

 the howling and whistling of the gale, the rest would 

 follow unsuspecting, and we might then each single 

 out a head for ourselves. 



The deer were now disappearing one by one beneath 

 the above-mentioned ledge of rock which barred the 

 brae, and we expected each moment the appearance of 

 their chief; but after watching most anxiously for 

 some time, and nothing coming in view, the whole 

 herd being now lost beneath the bar of rock, we grew 

 uneasy lest they .might have evaded us by some unseen 

 path, and foolishly, most foolishly, left our position, 

 admirable as it was, to creep forward to the rocky bar, 

 and catch a glimpse of what was going on below. 

 Between us and the bar was an open grassy sward, 

 traversed by a small burn, down the course of which 

 we began to creep very cautiously, the banks not being 

 high enough to conceal us. It was but a short distance 

 not more than fifty yards at the most but it took 



