MARCH LAW 399 



again. John accounted for his bad luck by reason of 

 his having met an old woman — a witch — that morning, 

 or else had to go back for something he had forgotten, 

 I forget which it was ; but, at all events, he fully- 

 accounted for the occurrence. 



Therefore, it is necessary that the stalker should, 

 under such circumstances, be up to the stag at once 

 and give him the cottp-dc-grdce. For it is certain that, 

 if he rises again, no stalker on earth can make sure of 

 him when going as hard as his legs can carry him over 

 rough ground. 



There is a general understanding that 'stalkers' 

 law ' between forest marches consists in the right to 

 cross the march only for the purpose of getting round 

 a stalk on the stalker's own march, and when the wind 

 or nature of the ground prevent his doing so on his 

 own property. Some lairds are more particular than 

 others. I remember on one occasion being taxed by 

 the late Duke of Abercorn, when at luncheon, with 

 being acquainted with an especially particular laird in 

 this respect, the grandfather of the present Lord 

 Lovat, who would not allow the Duke to go over his 

 march in order to get the wind right. It would, of 

 course, be impossible to permit such a thing as this, as 

 no end of mischief might be done to the adjoining 

 forests, and the usual rule is fair enough, viz., to allow 

 your neighbour to cross the march far enough to be 

 able to hide his cap, when crawling on hands and 

 knees, and then get back to his own march. In 

 grouse-driving, I have always known the depth of one 

 interval between the line of beaters, over and beyond 

 the march being beaten, allowed. Some mistaken 

 lairds have confined the allowance for deer-stalking to 



