SECOND DAY IN THE FOREST. 27 



refreshed, that we were anxious to lose no time in 

 setting out and searching for any straggling deer which 

 might be lying about the neighbourhood. The main 

 herd, Donald assured us, had betaken themselves to 

 their usual place of retreat during the day some 

 almost inaccessible heights about five miles from the 

 cottage ; and therefore there was no chance of our 

 seeing them at present, unless it might be as they 

 returned to the corrie in the evening. The air, how- 

 ever, was so mild and still, that there seemed little 

 probability of their descending from the heights ; and 

 our only hope of sport, therefore, depended upon any 

 solitary deer which might be lying about. Tired as 

 they were, the gillies were ready and anxious to join 

 us, and show the way ; but this we would not hear of. 

 Accordingly, getting all the information we could from 

 them, and giving them express orders to take some 

 repose in our absence, Walter and I set out to try our 

 skill and fortune alone. I had my rifle, he his "dooble- 

 barrel ; " and, from the little experience we had already 

 gained, we determined that nothing should induce us 

 again to walk with the wind, or lose a second oppor- 

 tunity like the one described in my last chapter. 

 Though it was by no means a fine day, being rather 

 misty and damp, yet at the cottage we had left it very 

 warm ; but as we mounted to the higher ground, we 

 found the breeze increasing in strength, until it even- 

 tually became a most cutting wind. We each had our 

 glass, and resolved to lose nothing by carelessness. 

 As we reached the head of each brae, we scanned every 

 inch of ground in sight, with a perseverance that soon 

 made our eyes ache to a most unpleasant degree. 

 This operation was repeated again and again, but 

 without success. At last, however, my eye fell upon 



