THE DEERSTALKER 229 



merely in a long, dreary walk home in the dark, with 

 your " gentleman" low and depressed in spirits, and 

 fully aware that he will be well chaffed over the miss 

 when he returns to the lodge. 



We will now imagine ourselves in front of a forest 

 lodge, time 9 a.m. (I am all for stalkers being " early 

 astir," as the sporting papers term it, for late autumn 

 days are short). Stalkers, gillies, and ponies with deer 

 saddles, the number of the latter varying with the number 

 of rifles to take the hill, all are preparing for the start. 



Now, young stalker, the first thing, we presume, is 

 that you are suitably dressed. Nothing to my mind 

 can be better than Lovat mixture, but there are one 

 hundred and one different patterns of cloth equally 

 as good, and in several forests they have their own 

 particular brand that they swear by, which is worn by 

 stalkers, gillies, and the * 'gentlemen "themselves. How- 

 ever, these are matters of detail. Of course, the nature 

 of the ground makes some mixtures much more suitable 

 than others. 



Of one thing I am certain : it is always best to have 

 the whole of your suit and your cap made of the same 

 material. I have often watched a line of grouse drivers 

 on a hillside through a glass from a distance, and have 

 always found the most conspicuous were those who wore 

 mixed suits that is, coat of one material and knickers 

 of another. 



As regards boots or shoes, I prefer the former, as 

 they give more support to the ankles ; and spats when 



