CHAP, xxvi.] THE MUCKLE HART OF BENMORE. 203 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



The Muckle Hart of Benmore. 



Sunday. THIS evening, Malcolm, the shepherd of the shealing 

 at the foot of Benmore, returning from church, reported his 

 having crossed in the hill a track of a hart of extraordinary size; 

 and he guessed it must be " the muckle stag of Benmore." This 

 was an animal seldom seen, but which had long been the talk 

 and marvel of the shepherds for its wonderful size and cunning. 

 They love the marvellous, and in their report " the muckle 

 stag " bore a charmed life ; he was unapproachable and invul- 

 nerable. I had heard of him too, and, having got the necessary 

 information, resolved to try to break the charm, though it should 

 cost me a day or two. 



Monday. This morning at sunrise, I with my rifle, Donald 

 carrying my double-barrel, and Bran, took our way up the glen 

 to the shealing at the foot of Benmore. Donald had no heart 

 for this expedition. He is not addicted to superfluous conver- 

 sation, but I heard him mutter something of a "feckless errand 

 as good deer nearer hame." Bran had already been the victor 

 in many a bloody tussle with hart and fox. We held for the 

 most part up the glen, but turning and crossing to seek every 

 likely corrie and burn on both sides. I shot a wild cat, stealing 

 home to its cairn in the early morning; and we several times 

 in the day came on deer, but they were hinds with their calves, 

 and I was bent on higher game. As night fell, we turned down 

 to the shealing rather disheartened ; but the shepherd cheered 

 me by assuring me the hart was still in that district, and de- 

 scribing his track, which he said was like that of a good -sized 

 heifer. Our spirits were quite restored by a meal of fresh-caught 

 trout, oat-cake and milk, with a modicum of whisky, which cer- 

 tainly was of unusual flavour and potency. 



Tuesday. "We were off again by daybreak. I will pass by 

 several minor adventures, but one cannot be omitted. Malcolm 



