190 FORAYS AMONG SALMON AND DEER, 



forward, delivered his two barrels with the same result, 

 and the deer, now too far off to be hit, except by acci- 

 dent, soon disappeared from sight. Then loading as 

 rapidly as possible, we all ran forward, and looked 

 down the descent by which the deer had taken their 

 departure ; but the hail was falling too thickly to admit 

 of our discerning any object beyond a few yards. 



We now took shelter under a huge fragment of rock, 

 until the hail shortly afterwards abating allowed us to 

 continue our rambles. But though we came across the 

 traces of deer in many places, and once or twice saw 

 the animals themselves at a great distance, we returned 

 to the cottage in the evening without getting another 

 shot. 



Thursday. Another fall of snow during the night. 

 Though the neighbourhood of the cottage is still free 

 from it, or only slightly sprinkled, the higher ground 

 on all sides is clad in white. Fearing lest we should 

 be snowed up in the hills, we resolved to go home to 

 the Laird's, only making a detour through the forest, 

 in order, if possible, to get a farewell shot. 



The morning was beautifully bright and clear, and, 

 though provoked at being obliged to abandon the 

 expedition, still with everything around us wearing so 

 novel and imposing an appearance, we could not but 

 be interested, and accordingly started in high spirits. 

 But presently as we rose above the glen, the toilsome 

 exertion of walking in the snow began to tell upon us, 

 and we were compelled to make frequent pauses to 

 rest and recover breath. The labour of climbing, to 

 which a Southron is little accustomed, I had found at 

 all times severe ; and though gradually becoming 

 inured to it, and latterly equal, as I had fondly 

 imagined, to any amount of fatigue, nothing I had 

 yet experienced had approached in the least degree 



