A CURIOUS HEAD. 



With such opportunities then for observation, such 

 seasons for thought, such ample scope for fancy, and 

 such scenery withal, to afford inspiration, 'twould 

 indeed be no wonder were the language of the Gael 

 instinct with the power of poesy ; while each untutored 

 child of the mist and the mountain, with no other book 

 to read but that lying open on his native hills, might 

 cherish the spirit as well as the speech of an Ossian. 



P.S. I subjoin a curious anecdote, recently related 

 to me by Alister, as he received it from the mouth of 

 the person concerned, a keeper employed in the 

 adjoining forest. 



" I was ordered to get a good stag for his Lordship, 

 just about the beginning of the rutting season. Soon 

 after entering the forest, and near the top of Corr-an- 

 Finnoch, I noticed a very large beast lying by itself; 

 which, on an examination through the glass, puzzled 

 me very much, as it was evidently of the largest stag 

 size, and yet had no antlers, but apparently the head of 

 a hind. I stalked it to within about seventy yards, and 

 sat down to await the time when it should rise for its 

 afternoon feed, that I might then ascertain surely what 

 it was. The day however being rather stormy, a puff 

 of wind wheeled my scent round to him, and of course 

 he was on his feet in a moment, and another moment 

 had carried him over a slight eminence, that concealed 

 him from my sight for more than a hundred yards. 



" But before he had gone far, he fell in with a few 

 small stags, who were bellowing amongst a lot of hinds. 

 These he charged, and having vanquished them all, 

 once more lay quietly down. I now knew that I had 

 before me one of the largest deer I had ever seen ; and 

 after a little trouble, I was again within shot, and sent 



