DEER -STALKING. 35 



procured, which the cunning animal no sooner saw bearing 

 down than it turned short round, and was within a few 

 yards of grounding, when the three aforesaid stalkers were 

 ready to fire within fair distance. The left-shouldered man 

 took deliberate aim at the head, the only part above water, 

 and cut off the horns close to the skull. The deer now 

 struck ground, and when bounding along the shore was 

 missed by the gamekeeper, but immediately brought down 

 in admirable style by his old father. That a man could 

 miss a deer, and yet knock down double shots one after 

 another at game, used to appear a complete problem to 

 me ; especially as one of his rivals could not hit a bird at 

 all, and his father as a game-shot was not to be named in 

 the same day with him. After a little practice myself, the 

 solution was plain. I have seen this old man in his 

 eightieth year, bring down a deer running, and last season 

 had some venison sent me, killed by him, when ninety-one 

 years old ! ! 



As I consider this forester the finest specimen I ever 

 met with of a Highlander of the old school, I may perhaps 

 be allowed to mention some of his peculiarities apart from 

 his professional avocations. His words like his shooting 

 are slow, but sure to tell. When addressing his superiors, 

 his manner is marked by the greatest courtesy, without 

 the least approach to servility. He is well read in ancient 

 history, knows all about the siege of Troy, and talks with 

 the greatest interest of Hannibal's passage over the Alps. 

 On one occasion, when several gentlemen were talking on 

 a disputed point of history, he stepped forward, begged 



