FURTHER DISAPPOINTMENT. 185 



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 re- 

 turned 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 

 to the immense strain produced on the muscles in 

 ascending the steep sides of the mountain, with the 

 snow half a foot, or even in the higher regions nearly 

 a foot, in depth. The process of descending too was 

 almost equally trying, as the foot constantly stumbled 

 against, or slipped from, the stones hidden beneath the 

 snow, which more than once occasioned very awkward 

 falls. 



