THE DEER IN SIGHT. 119 



while it was blowing in such fitful and fickle gusts. 

 There was no help for it, therefore, but to look to the 

 general scud of the wind, and to act accordingly, 

 leaving the issue to the chapter of accidents. The 

 deer were feeding at the distance of nearly two miles, 

 separated from us by a deep glen, and at an elevation 

 slightly higher than our own ; but as they were 

 working upwards, before we could get over the ground 

 they would doubtless be considerably higher. Our 

 plan therefore was to take a wide circuit, and make 

 for the shelter of some cliffs a few hundred feet above 

 them, in the hopes that they would gradually feed up, 

 and pass near our position. 



Having strengthened ourselves with a " nip " of 

 usquebagh, away we went in a silent string, now 

 running recklessly " over bank, bush, and scaur," now 

 stooping, and even creeping, as we passed an exposed 

 spot : and ever and anon pausing, while Gillespie took 

 a cautious survey, lest we should disturb anything in 

 our course, and perhaps through heedlessness lose a 

 better chance than the one on which we were now 

 bent 



After mounting a steep brae, we suddenly came 

 upon a stag and two hinds lying in a sheltered hollow. 

 They had winded us, however, and rose from their beds 

 in the tall heather just as we came over the crest 

 of the ascent; and before we could get a shot had 

 disappeared over a precipice, down the difficult 

 face of which they wound their way in safety ; and 

 when we came to look over the edge of it, they 

 were trotting along several hundred feet below. As 

 we turned away from watching them, we caught sight 

 of a herd of about forty in a contrary direction, just 

 vanishing over a distant hill, having winded us and 

 taken alarm. Shortly after this we reached the rocky 



