306 G UIDES AND STALKING 



found any difficulty in reversing the order given, and 

 placing the guide in my rear, where he was near enough 

 to give advice when asked for it. Of course, there are 

 many occasions upon which a stranger to the ground, 

 ignorant, probably, of currents of wind, sudden changes 

 of it, etc., could not do without the aid of a guide, 

 and doubtless without such assistance many a stalk 

 would end ludicrously, and guests who are unacquainted 

 with the ground would be a nuisance to their hosts and 

 doubtless drive deer off their forest, etc. ; but if men 

 are not too presumptuous at first, and will take the 

 advice given them by their stalker, they will not only 

 avoid such undesirable denouements, but will very 

 probably secure sport. No more honest, straight- 

 forward fellows ever breathed than these Highland 

 hill -keepers ; they love sport, and are often more 

 anxious than those on whom they are attending to 

 secure a stag, and I never found them make any 

 objection to allowing me to stalk alone, after the secrets 

 of the ground had been explained to me so as to 

 enable me to get within range (excepting in one old- 

 fashioned forest where the guests were forced to keep 

 to the tail of the stalker), unless I chanced to make a 

 mess of the whole affair by reason of one of the many 

 little contretemps which may happen on such occasions, 

 such as a grouse, hares, roe-deer, eagles, etc., getting 

 up, wind fouling, etc. The stalker would be as delighted 

 as I was, if successful, and equally disappointed if I 

 failed. We sportsmen have no truer friends than the 

 Highland stalkers ; they are heart and soul with us, 

 and even if not, the extra tip given for being allowed 

 to stalk one's own deer will go far to allay any qualms 

 of conscience that may exist in the mind of any one of 



