50 THE LAST WOLF IN SCOTLAND 



couple of children near Cawdor, and that a tainchel or 

 hunting was to meet at Figiuthas on the morrow, at 

 which MacQueen's presence was required in compliance 

 with the Act of Parliament. 



The hunters assembled at daybreak, but where was 

 MacQueen ? He was not wont to be ' langsonie ' on 

 such an occasion ; and his hounds, not to mention 

 himself, were indispensable for the work in hand. 

 Macintosh waited impatiently as the cold morning 

 wore on. At last MacQueen was seen coming along in 

 leisurely fashion. The chief hailed him, rebuking him 

 sharply for wasting the best hours for getting on the 

 drag of the game. 



' Ciod e a' chabhag ? What 's the hurry ? ' was the 

 cool reply, which sent an indignant murmur through 

 the shivering clansmen. Macintosh uttered an angry 

 threat. ' Sin e dhiabh ! There you are then ! ' said 

 MacQueen, throwing back his plaid and flinging a grey 

 wolf's head on the heather. The hunters had been 

 cheated of their sport ; but they forgave Pall-a'-chro- 

 cain, whose renown in the forest stood higher than 

 ever, and Macintosh ' gave him the land of Seanachan 

 for meat to his dogs.' 



One of the best casts on the Drynachan water of 

 Findhorn takes its name from Pall-a'-chrocain, Mac- 

 Queen's ancient holding ; and I must own that when, 

 one September morning in 1892, I landed three salmon 

 from that pool, and lost a fourth, my thoughts were 

 almost as busy over that hunting a century and a half 

 before, as they were with the business I was after. For 

 me, at least, angling and every other field-sport would 



