232 FORAYS AMONG SALMON AND DEER. 



inaccessible to any animal except the eagle, et id genus 

 omne, which has its nest right over the cave, but so 

 near the top that it is difficult to discover without a 

 glass, and could never be detected by a stranger. Our 

 first occupation, after depositing our viands in the 

 cave and fumigating the midges, was to issue forth 

 and collect the stumps of old holly and mountain 

 ash trees that had grown and died years ago amongst 

 the fallen rocks ; with these the men soon got up a 

 fire, whilst I was splitting up a grilse at a well of the 

 purest and coolest water, gushing newly from the 

 earth, at a distance of not more than six yards from 

 the cave door. The grass and mosses around this well 

 were torn up by the hoof prints of deer that had 

 drunk there the night before. In a few minutes might 

 be heard the appetite-inspiring sound of the fish 

 hissing on a hot stone which Jemmy had prepared, 

 and very soon we each had a cut of very nicely and 

 cleanly cooked salmon on an oat-cake for a plate. I 

 have often done, and eaten salmon done in this way ; 

 and I fancy there is none better, provided one has a 

 little butter, pepper, and salt. We next had some 

 venison done in the same style, which I did not like so 

 much, so I betook myself to the cold ham, and left my 

 men to roast for themselves ; and roast they did, and 

 ate too, until I fancied Gillespie must have got two 

 deer at one shot, and had them both in the cave but 

 a hardish day's work, after a light breakfast at four in 

 the morning, gives an appetite that would astonish the 

 uninitiated. We then made some piping hot toddy in 

 our kettle ; and very refreshing it tasted, as I lay on 

 an Affghan goat-rug spread over fresh heather, with a 

 pipe filled with good " baccy " in my mouth. To wind 

 up, I had tea the best drink a tired man can have (if 

 I have any hard walking to do, as in deer-stalking, I 



