140 FORAYS AMONG SALMON AND DEER. 



ment, was a fine stag within eighty yards of us, 

 standing on a projecting rock, and staring at us iu 

 astonishment ; but before a gun could be brought to 

 bear upon him, he had disappeared behind the rock 

 and was safe. Of course the three deer which we 

 were stalking, instantly took the alarm, and made off 

 uninjured. We now ran forward to see what we 

 could of the vanished game ; and on mounting the 

 rock behind which the stag had disappeared, we saw a 

 large herd, going away at full gallop. They were 

 joined, just after we caught sight of them, by a large 

 stag and some young deer coming up from the lower 

 ground in front. The large stag Grillespie immediately 

 pronounced to be the one which we had previously 

 seen lying alone, and which we were about to stalk 

 when we came in view of those feeding together. 



This was provoking enough. It was evident that 

 the whole herd were now thoroughly alarmed, and no 

 prospect of our coming near them again to-day. 

 However, there was no help for it ; and disappointed 

 and dispirited though we were, we lost no time in 

 making the best we could of a bad case. Having, 

 therefore, watched the fast-receding herd until they 

 became lost in the dim distance, and Gillespie with 

 his telescope had made out the ground for which they 

 were aiming, we started, at his suggestion, to examine 

 a fresh region, where there was a likelihood of finding 

 game which had not yet been disturbed. 



After walking for upwards of an hour, we reached a 

 sheltered hollow, overhung by a range of cliffs of 

 moderate height. Abounding in tall heather, which 

 afforded a warm lair for the deer, and intersected by a 

 small rocky stream, it was altogether a very likely 

 spot ; and Gillespie made his dispositions accordingly. 

 I was to be located at a pass by which the deer usually 



