A GOOD WIND-UP ON ERCHLESS 69 



pened to move them (they probably got us, as we 

 were getting rather careless in our movements) 

 and they disappeared over the ridge on which 

 they had been lying, and we saw them no more. 

 We then spied a single stag lying below us in 

 the bottom of Glengowrie about a mile west of 

 Ross's house; we could not get nearer than 200 

 yards, and he would not get up, so I took him 

 lying and missed him, and off he went up the valley 

 on to Corriehallie. We then went for some stags 

 that were roaring at each other farther up in 

 Glengowrie, and guided by the roaring, I found 

 myself within 50 yards of a good beast, which I 

 knocked over, and he lay as though dead for 

 several seconds, and then, to our great surprise 

 and mortification, struggled to his feet and limped 

 off, giving me a stem-on shot as he disappeared 

 over the ridge, which I missed, and so we lost him, 

 as when we next saw him he was half a mile away, 

 very lame certainly, but going at a fair pace up the 

 hill towards the Hare Mountain. By this time 

 it was 4.30, and we were far from home; but 

 there was a big herd of deer with some good stags 

 in it about half a mile west, which had taken no 

 notice of us, and Ross asked me if I would have 

 one more try at them. I was pretty tired, but 

 desperate keen to get a stag, as I knew Merton 

 was sure to get one, and it would be our last day 

 on Erchless, as I had only one to make up my 

 number, so I bared my big right arm and drew 



