DEER-DRIVING IN MULL. 43 



turning the deer whenever he tried the steep, but down-hill 

 the hart had the best of it. Expecting soon to be warned by 

 the bay that our fugitive was " at a standstill," we all followed 

 in pursuit ; but when poor Friday returned chopf alien and 

 bloodless, our disappointment was extreme. " At any rate, one 

 of them is safe," says the younger sportsman. " I should 

 think so," rejoined the elder, " when I measured his head ! " 

 " Measured his head ! why, he came to me, his leg swinging 

 like a flail, and stood about fifteen paces off. I could almost 

 have knocked him down with the butt of the rifle." " I saw 

 the deer dead enough in the heather ; and if the Captain saw 

 anither, there must have been three," put in the watcher. 

 " Well," says the first speaker, " if there is one lying dead, you 

 are sure enough of the wounded one, for he couldn't outrun a 

 man, far less a dog. I only didn't fire because I felt sure I 

 could walk up to him." 



Friday had, however, taken us two long hill miles from the 

 spot, and fully an hour and a half had passed since the chase 

 began. When we got to the place where the wounded hart 

 stood, he was nowhere to be seen. We sought the hill till 

 evening, but the ground was very rough, and covered with the 

 longest heather, and was also full of deep holes. ISText day 

 the search was renewed with additional dogs and men, but 

 without finding any traces of the stricken hart. Since this 

 series of stalking blunders, I have always recommended young 

 deer-stalkers to adopt the Kirkpatricks' motto, " I will mak 

 sicker." 



