THE HILL POACHER. 353 



summoned to take a longer voyage, and to a country from 

 which he should never return.* 



Very unlike Gregor More was . Strange 



to say, he had once been a " placed minister of the Kirk," 

 (answering to a beneficed clergyman,) and, although he 

 often returned late on the Saturday night, after being 

 all the week poaching the deer, his sermons were both 

 clever and popular. I met him once when traversing a 

 wild range of hills, and was impressed both with his 

 general information and the courtesy of his address. He 

 had much to say, and said it well; yet, notwithstanding 

 the blandness of his manners, you could not help feeling 

 that interest or passion were the mainsprings of all his 

 actions ; and that as for principle he would inwardly sneer 

 at the very name. He was an athletic, handsome man ; 

 but his expression, though bold and confident, was selfish 

 and wily. The following anecdotes, illustrative of his 

 character, are capital specimens of the man. 



He had shot a deer in a very out-of-the-way recess 

 among the hills. While comfortably seated upon his 

 quarry, enjoying a pinch of snuff in all the luxury of 

 success, an intrusive face, followed by a gun, poked over 

 the adjoining dike.* " Leave that deer, or I'll blow 

 your harns aboot your lugs." had neglected to 



* To my shame and sorrow I record it I did not see poor Gregor in 

 his prison. It was eleven miles distant, and, though I always meant to visit 

 him, I never did. The remembrance has often grieved me. May this be 

 a lesson to all who read it, " Never to put off till to-morrow what ought 

 to be done to-day." 



t Stone wall without lime. 



z 



