262 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. [CHAP, XXXIT. 



on the other side, in case the deer crossed the top, and went to 

 bay in any of the burns that were within his view, and after a 

 slight demur, rather at the proposer than at. the proposal, Donald 

 started off, with his " dooble barrel " still carefully swaddled up 

 under his arm. 



Malcolm and I proceeded carefully, though with great ease, 

 till we got into the burn ; I led Oscar, while Bran- was under his 

 guidance we waded and scrambled with no great difficulty, ex- 

 cepting that now and then Oscar was a little annoyed at not being 

 close to his master, as both dogs seemed perfectly aware of what 

 was going on, and in momentary expectation of seeing the deer. 

 Never was ground more favourable : till we were within four 

 hundred yards of the deer, we had scarcely occasion to stoop our 

 heads. Having come at length to rather a difficult pass, Mal- 

 colm asked me to look up carefully, that we might know exactly 

 where the deer were, while he held the dogs. Raising my head 

 gradually, I looked through a tuft of rushes, and saw first the 

 horns of the stag,, and then the heads of five of the hinds ; they 

 had lain down in the long heather, near the spot they had beet 

 feeding on. But where were the remainder of the herd ? I 

 looked for two or three minutes in vain, keeping my head per- 

 fectly motionless. Presently, however, the rest of the deer ap- 

 peared from amongst some broken ground, a hundred yards 

 higher up the hill than the others. Having looked anxiously 

 round them, they all dropped quietly down to rest, with the ex- 

 ception of one lanky-looking hind, who stood motionless on a 

 small hillock, with her eyes and ears turned with great attention 

 in the direction of Donald's place of ambuscade : she evidently 

 had some kind of suspicion of danger from that quarter, though 

 she had siot yet quite made up her mind as to the reality of it. 

 I lowered myself as gradually as possible, and looked back at 

 Malcolm. He was kneeling on one knee witli a dog held in 

 each hand, the dogs themselves were a perfect picture, as they 

 stood, with the most intense expression of anxiety, watching my 

 movements, and snuffing the air in the direction in which I had 

 been looking; the wind was too light, however, for them as yet 

 to scent the deer. As they stood motionless, and scarcely draw- 

 ing their breath, I could plainly see their hearts beating with 

 anxiety and eagerness ; I explained the position of the deer to 



