120 FORAYS AMONG SALMON AND DEER. 



pass, where we had expected to fall in with our three 

 deer. Before however taking up our position, we 

 proceeded to reconnoitre the ground in the direction 

 by which they must come ; but the most careful 

 examination could discover no trace of them. There 

 were indeed " numberous " slots, or footprints, which 

 Gillespie pointed out to us in the very pass itself, but 

 none which seemed fresh ; and our conclusion therefore 

 was, that the game must have taken some unexpected 

 turn, and gone away by a different route. 



We now made for a rocky kind of headland, which 

 projected into the air, commanding a good view over 

 some likely ground ; and here we once more brought 

 our glasses into play. But so piercingly cold was the 

 wind, and so unfavourable from its changeableness, 

 that in despair we were almost inclined to give up 

 further attempts for to-day, and, as we sickened of the 

 work, became also proportionably careless. 



A sudden gust of wind now carried my hat away, 

 bursting a very strong elastic band, which passed 

 under my chin, and at the same moment, a large loose 

 " poncho " of Walter's was torn from his shoulders, 

 and carried high into the air, spinning round, as it 

 ascended, in corkscrew fashion. The coat was re- 

 covered by Gillespie at once ; but the hat, though I 

 myself lost sight of it altogether, was recovered by 

 Murdoch at the distance of a quarter of a mile. 

 Taking this as a seasonable warning of the treatment 

 we might ourselves expect, should we any longer tempt 

 the elements, we commenced the descent at once, 

 purposing to make our way back to the cottage as 

 fast and as safely as we could. We had not, however, 

 made much progress, following each other in a careless 

 line, with feelings somewhat akin to disgust, when, on 

 turning the angle of a huge rock, Gillespie, who led 



