DEER-DRIVING IN MULL. 27 



On the second afternoon, my son, having completed his 

 arrangements, agreed with the manager that, as the deer 

 would be nearly certain to break cover at the Knock pass, 

 there could be no harm in giving this patch an afternoon trial. 

 Of the two chances commanded by the Knock pass, one is 

 exactly 120 yards, the other about 30. It is impossible to 

 equalise the distances without sacrificing one of the chances. 



Yarrow's shrill yelp in the plantation soon warned my son 

 that the manager had found deer. A large stag broke on the 

 lower side of the river, came softly round the knolls, and made 

 for the 120-yards pass. Here he had to cross the water, but 

 seemed in no hurry to wet his feet. The collie had not yet 

 left the wood, and the hart listened and watched to see when 

 he would leave it. All this time, the deer being in a slanting 

 posture, my son refrained from firing, well aware that the 

 moment the hart attempted to ford he must present a fair 

 broadside. Black Yarrow now flitted from the covert, and 

 the stag cautiously waded into the stream. Crack goes the 

 rifle, down came the deer on his knees recovered, and began 

 to hobble across the current. A shot from the second barrel, 

 and he toppled over in mid-stream. 



The first act after killing a deer is to examine where the 

 ball has hit him. This time there were two marks through 

 the brisket, on the opposite side to the shooter, but only one 

 on the near side ; it was therefore apparent that both balls 

 had entered at the same hole. Considering the distance, this 

 was therefore a beautiful right-and-left rifle-shot. The weight 

 of this deer was 18 stone, and he had a very good head for 

 Mull. I was much pleased with this auspicious start ; the 

 more so as the manager saw more deer in the wood, which he 

 had refrained from disturbing. 



Dogs thoroughly trained to drive deer-coverts, even when 

 running a hot scent, should be taught immediately to quit it, 

 and return to their master at his whistle. The reason is 

 obvious. When the deer are through the passes, further 



