210 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. [CHAP. xxvi. 



and I was enclosed in an atmosphere through which I could not 

 see twenty yards. It was very cold too, and I was obliged to move, 

 though scarcely well knowing whither. I followed the course 

 of the lake, and afterwards of the stream which flowed from it, 

 for some time. Now and then a grouse would rise close to me, 

 and, flying a few yards, light again on a hillock, crowing and 

 croaking at the intruder. The heron, in the darkness, came 

 flapping his great wings close past me ; I almost fancied I could 

 feel the movement they caused in the air. Nothing could be done 

 in such weather, and I was not sure that I might not be going away 

 from my object. It was getting late too, and I made up my mind 

 that my most prudent plan was to arrange a bivouac before it 

 became quite dark. My wallet was empty, except a few crumbs, 

 the remains of my morning's baking. It was necessary to pro- 

 vide food : and just as the necessity occurred to me, I heard, 

 through the mist, the call of a cock grouse as he lighted close 

 to me. I contrived to get his head between me and the sky as 

 he was strutting and croaking on a hillock close at hand ; and 

 aiming at where his body ought to be, I fired my rifle. On 

 going up to the place, I found I had not only killed him, but 

 also his mate, whom I had not seen. It was a commencement 

 of good luck. Sitting down, I speedily skinned my birds, and 

 took them down to the burn to wash them before cooking:. In 



3 



crossing a sandy spot beside the burn, I came upon could I 

 believe my eyes? " the Track." Like Robinson Crusoe in the 

 same circumstances, I started back ; but was speedily at work 

 taking my information. There were prints enough to show the 

 hart had crossed at a walk leisurely. It must have been lately, 

 for it was since the burn had returned to its natural size, after 

 the last night's flood. But nothing could be done till morning, 

 so I set about my cooking; and having after some time suc- 

 ceeded in lighting a fire, while my grouse were slowly broiling, 

 I pulled a quantity of heather, which T spread in a corner a 

 little protected by an overhanging rock : I spread my plaid upon 

 it, and over the plaid built another layer of heather. My supper 

 ended, which was not epicurean, I crawled into my nest under 

 my plaid, and was soon sound asleep. I cannot say that my 

 slumbers were unbroken. I dreamt of the great stag thundering 

 up the hills with preternatural speed, and of noises like cannon 



