30 



LIFE AT ROSEHALL. 



I was to give pro vend and rest for himself and horses. From 

 these circumstances I got into the habit of sketching off an account 

 Of my day's wanderings, when they had been of that kind that I 

 felt I might say to myself, " Forsan et haec olim meminisse juvabit." 

 . I had more than once seen in a particular corrie, or not far from 

 it, a remarkably fine stag : his horns, though not peculiarly long, 

 were heavy and large, with ten points well and evenly set on, of a 

 dark colour, and the points as white as ivory. The animal himself 

 was evidently of very great size and age, and in fine condition. 



He lived quite alone, and did not seem to associate with any of 

 the other deer who frequented that district, although I once saw 

 him rise and trot off, warned by the movement of a herd of hinds ; 

 and at another time he rose unexpectedly on my firing at two 

 stags in a corrie ; still, on neither of these occasions, nor at any other 

 time, did he appear to be lying in company with the other deer, 

 although not above half a mile from them, nor did he join them 

 in their flight when moved. Instead of this he invariably trotted 

 off sulkily ; and if I chanced to fall in with his track again, it was 



