THE HILL POACHER. 345 



gentlemen, as they are superior in every other requisite 

 for grouse-shooting. The reason of this is plain enough. 

 The poacher refuses " crank " uncertain shots, hence he 

 seldom excels in them ; and, as the birds are always wild 

 and difficult of access when his operations begin, all his 

 ingenuity is exerted to get within easy distance, and, no 

 matter whether sitting or flying, to bag as many birds with 

 as few shots as possible. 



Many a capital shot, who has left the moors for the 

 low grounds, under the idea that grouse are unapproach- 

 able, would be thoroughly astonished if he put himself 

 under the implicit guidance of one of these men. Indeed, 

 most sportsmen, however expert with the fowling-piece, 

 and however much they may pique themselves upon their 

 skill in all the details of the sport, scarcely know its first 

 principles, as they leave the moors just when the thorough 

 bass is to be begun. 



The tricks of the Highland poacher are manifold and 

 ingenious. He can always form a shrewd guess to what 

 distance the report of his gun may be heard at any dreaded 

 point, and, if possible, contrives to get a hillock between, 

 in order to intercept it. Indeed, I have known them 

 shoot for days before the moors opened ; and, by such 

 management, as well as taking advantage of the wind, 

 not a report was heard by the watchers. But, should they 

 be discovered, they seldom offer other resistance than leg 

 bail, which is very often taken, as the poacher's wind and 

 knowledge of the country is, generally, at least equal to 

 that of his pursuer. 



