EXPLORING THE COUNTRY. 15 



often, both in autumn and winter, shot mountain 

 hares quite close to the cultivated fields, but not off 

 the moors. Yet they are not exalted aristocrats 

 like ptarmigan, who never condescend to places of 

 low degree. Apropos of white hares, I heard an 

 odd story from the Earl of M 's keeper about them, 

 and which was to this effect. A party of sportsmen 

 had gone from Logie Lodge to the hills to shoot 

 white hares, which are numerous there (two or three 

 hundred a day not being unusual on great drives). 

 Well, one of the party was a simple-minded English- 

 man, totally new to the Highlands, and had been 

 crammed by his friends with tales of " ghosts," 

 " second sight," " will-o'-the-wisp," and sundry 

 matters of Celtic superstition; so, being a proper 

 golemouche, his friends had filled him with fear 

 and wonder. On fixing the places of the guns 

 before the beat, this worthy was placed high up 

 the hill behind a rock, told not to fire till the 

 hares had passed him, and was then left alone. 

 While waiting with anxious mind and many- 

 coloured thoughts, a dense mist crept over the 

 hills, and soon closed round him; beyond a yard 

 or two he could see nothing, while the near objects 

 had a weird and fantastic look that made him 



