A Sportsman at Large 263 



with excitement the first time he approached old Duke's 

 steady point, he accomplished a very smart right and left 

 with his double-barrelled " 28 " bore. Of course, he was 

 highly delighted, and I think that my parental pride soared 

 sky-high. I forgot to mention that my C.O.'s brother Marcus, 

 with whom you have made acquaintance in the Orkneys and 

 elsewhere, was of the party. The grouse shooting over dogs 

 was decidedly good. Our limit was 250 brace, and although 

 we did not come anywhere near to accomplishing the full 

 tally, we kept up a very fair average for the first two or three 

 weeks. Our best, if I remember rightly, being thirty-two 

 brace to four guns. 



There was a good show of black-cock, but these, of course, 

 were not available until later on. In between whiles I fished 

 several small lochs in the neighbourhood, and creeled many 

 brown trout, averaging about three to the two pounds. 



In Loch Shinn, one day, I moved a salmon, which rose to 

 my fly several times, but I never touched him. This was the 

 only one of his species that showed during my visit. 



The scenery in this district was magnificent. There were 

 several large woods on the hills, in which roedeer were to be 

 found. So when the grouse began to pack, and refused 

 any longer to lie to the dogs, we determined to have a go at 

 the pretty little deer. A buck and three does had been 

 harboured by our keeper, Jamie McDonald. So one day 

 found us posted around the dell, whilst the beaters were 

 pushing through the covert. After a space of time I heard 

 a crashing of undergrowth below me, and presently a dinky 

 little buck broke out within about thirty yards of me. I 

 was using ordinary cartridges in my gun, loaded with Number 4 

 shot. I let the pretty little fellow have both barrels; but 

 though he stumbled, he picked himself up and made off. 

 He was presumably hard-hit, for it was impossible that I 

 could have missed him altogether. Sweep was at my heels, 

 and as the buck broke loose, he appeared to be utterly flabber- 

 gasted at the vision, though quivering with excitement. 



In an evil moment I set him off on the trail of the retreating 

 roe, and away he went at his best speed. I followed as best 

 I could, but my progress in the thick growth of the wood was 



