EXPEDITION TO THE MOUNTAINS. 131 



take them as soon as possible after their first 

 arrival among the mountains. The best shooting 

 I ever enjoyed was of this description, especially 

 in the neighbourhood of some small loughs fed 

 by dark boggy streams from the higher grounds, 

 where, when the dogs pointed, I could not tell 

 whether I was about to flush a grouse, a hare, 

 a woodcock, or a wild-duck from the heather. 



Our forbearance seemed likely to be rewarded 

 on the present occasion. The latter part of 

 October had been particularly fine, and for the 

 past week the clear nights, obscured but occa- 

 sionally by a few light clouds as they sailed 

 slowly across the moon from the north-east, 

 promised a grand immigration of cocks. Relays 

 of dogs, a goodly store of ammunition, and a 

 supply of creature comforts for a week, had 

 been despatched on the previous day ; and it 

 was our intention to put up for the first night 

 at the farm-house before mentioned, so as on 

 the following day to carry out our original plan 

 though under better auspices of shooting aur 

 way across the hills to our head-quarters at the 

 lodge. 



For nearly eight miles our route was practi- 

 cable for an Irish car. We passed at first 

 through a partially cultivated country, gradually 

 ascending higher and higher as we neared the 



