DEER-DRIVING IN MULL. 41 



It had nearly gained mid-loch when I heard the rapid stroke 

 of oars, and presently the fishing-coble, pulled by the shep- 

 herds at their utmost stretch, headed back the swimmer in 

 the direction from which it had started. I now distinctly 

 traced two animals in the water, and their pursuer running 

 to meet them at the salmon-point, where they seemed bent 

 on landing. He fired, and missed the head of one, which 

 wheeled about and swam for another point, but its companion 

 struck ground and fell dead to the second barrel. The boat- 

 man quickly took the sportsman on board, and ere the first 

 he fired at could gain the shore he shot her through the 

 head. The pair, an old hind and her calf, were the only 

 deer in Torlochan wood ; and the marksman being now in no 

 humour to throw away a chance, had hit the hind through 

 the back running, at 130 yards, when she took the water, 

 followed by her calf. The latter was fortunately a male, so 

 we had exactly completed our year's lot of three harts and 

 two hinds. 



A CONTRETEMPS. 



I shall conclude these wood-driving reminiscences of Mull 

 by a deer-stalking incident at my next shooting-quarter, which, 

 as a " comedy of errors," was quite unique. 



Accompanied by a friend and my second son, we were re- 

 turning from fishing the high pools of the Falloch, when the 

 hill-watcher met us in hot haste with the welcome news that 

 a couple of harts were feeding in a wild corrie of the Arnan, 

 and he did not think they were likely to be disturbed, or quit 

 their ground for some time. 



Leaving our friend and the keeper to finish the lower waters 

 of the river, my son and I made short work of exchanging 

 rods for rifles, and were soon at the base of the Arnan hill. 

 The watcher's face grew long, for the deer had shifted, and 

 although we were all right as to the wind, yet a slight move- 



