212 FORAYS AMONG SALMON AND DEER. 



would just command a view of the herd, as they lay 

 below, without exposing themselves. For a long time 

 we sat in silence, and the game continued motionless. 

 At length after a lapse of perhaps three quarters of an 

 hour an old stag rose and sniffed the air, with nose 

 pointed upwards, as though indignant at the interrup- 

 tion of his dreams ; and in another instant the remain- 

 ing fourteen with a sudden start sprang to their feet and 

 trotted to the head of a little knoll, whence they had a 

 view in the direction of the alarm. 



These movements we were of course prepared for. 

 It was evident that they had just caught wind of the 

 shepherd, but whether they would be induced to take 

 our direction or not remained to be seen. At this 

 moment the two leading stags sprang forward in the 

 direction of the pass by which they had entered, and 

 at the same moment Hector came in sight. He was 

 within a few yards of the deer; but the two stags 

 boldly faced him, and notwithstanding his shouts, rushed 

 by and made their way off to the pass. The remainder, 

 however, thirteen in number, turned off, and at a wild 

 pace came rushing on in a long line towards the pass 

 within range of our rifles. 



Now then was our opportunity, and we determined 

 to make the best of it. Dropping on one knee we 

 cocked our rifles and waited their approach. The 

 heads were of various sizes from the procah upwards ; 

 but two in particular were conspicuous. One of them 

 had horns of great size and width, but free from points, 

 called in Gaelic a " caber slaht ; " the other was not 

 quite so large, but with six distinct points on either 

 horn, constituting what is called in technical language 

 " a royal head." Just as the herd were passing imme- 

 diately in our front, some movement on our part caught 

 the eye of the leader, and caused a slight halt. This 



