8 THE MOOR AND THE LOCH. 



at last, seldom fired at ; but ground game, except rabbits, had 

 no chance with him. Nothing could flurry or put him out of 

 his shooting. If the shot was not intercepted, and he was 

 only allowed plenty of time, it was certain death. 



I had twice an opportunity of seeing these three men fairly 

 tested with the rifle. Some deer being discovered near the 

 top of a high hill, it was arranged, as all their passes were 

 well known, to drive them with some shepherds and their 

 collies. My brother and I begged hard 'to join the party, and 

 were placed under charge of the gamekeeper, whose pass was 

 one of the best. Before starting, however, the left-shouldered 

 man wished to fire off an old load, being afraid to risk it at 

 the deer. It was suggested that he should shoot at a hare. 

 We had not gone far when one rose about forty yards off. 

 Even now I think I see the cool way in which he raised his 

 rifle, and, allowing poor puss a free stretch of thirty yards, 

 fired. The hare dropped dead, and, when we went up, she 

 was fairly struck between the shoulders. After a time we 

 were safe in our passes, and the driving-party commenced 

 their manoeuvres. We soon heard the yelp of the dogs, and, 

 shortly after, the floundering of a deer in some mossy ground 

 immediately above the pass. Presently it made its appearance, 

 crossing us at about sixty yards' distance. It was a beautiful 

 chance. Taking deliberate aim, the gamekeeper fired. To our 

 astonishment and chagrin, the deer, which had been moving 

 slowly along, bounded forward, frightened enough, but unhurt. 

 No other chance was obtained till near the end of the day, 

 when the old forester fired a tremendously long shot, and 

 struck the deer, which ran for a few hundred yards, and then 

 dropped. 



Another time, when the deer had taken the water, there 

 was a general scramble to the shore. A boat was quickly 

 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 



