138 FORAYS AMONG SALMON AND DEER. 



glasses, and examined the bottom and sides of the 

 corrie. For some time nothing -was to be seen ; but at 

 length three deer were detected feeding their way up 

 the brae towards the Bealloch Mohr. Unfortunately 

 they were approaching " the march ; " consequently it 

 was of little use to follow him, until we should see 

 whether they crossed it or not. At length the matter 

 was decided, as one by one they rose above the horizon 

 stood out distinctly into the sky, and then passing the 

 boundary, placed themselves for to-day at least, beyond 

 the reach of our bullets. 



We now struck off to the left across a stretch of 

 moorland, for a glen buried among huge rocks and 

 crags, where Gillespie told us the deer frequently 

 rested between their morning and midday feeds. After 

 a pause of some minutes at the head of the glen, for 

 the purpose of reconnoitring, Gillespie descried a large 

 stag, but at so great a distance, that not even with the 

 aid of my telescope could I make him out distinctly. 

 His position, however, was so very unfavourable for 

 stalking, that the fox-hunter suggested, as our only 

 chance, that we should ^take a wide circuit, so as to 

 come in upon the animal, by the course of a burn, 

 taking advantage of several masses of rock conveniently 

 scattered about the ground as to hide our approach. 

 Accordingly, as this seemed the only plan likely to 

 succeed, we proceeded without further loss of time to 

 put it into execution. But the circuit we had to take 

 proved much longer than we had anticipated ; and after 

 three miles of incessant climbing and running, we were 

 scarcely nearer our object than at first. Soon however 

 we had the wind in our teeth, and then altering our 

 course began the approach in good earnest. As we 

 were out of eight for some distance there was no need 

 of caution, but presently we had to move with the 



