CH. X. HIGHLAND DEER STALKER. 155 



Though a Highland deer-stalker may sometimes 

 break loose and have a day's bout at whisky, he is 

 not, generally speaking, at all an intemperate man : 

 two weaknesses he may have — snuff and smoke ; the 

 mull, with its spoon of wood or eagle's quill (that 

 not a grain may be lost), and the well -smoked and 

 short clay pipe, are his constant companions. If he 

 misses his stag after a severe stalk, he takes a few 

 whiffs to console himself: if he succeeds, and has 

 his hand already on the prostrate body of the object 

 of his pursuit, the pipe comes into play. The 

 first thing in the morning, while looking from the 

 shealing door to see which way the wind blows, 

 there is the pipe between his teeth : and when re- 

 turning from his day's work, he smokes the pipe 

 of retrospection, while he calls to mind all the dif- 

 ferent hits and failures of the pursuit. Having 

 reached home, fed himself and dogs, and had his 

 moderate allowance of whisky, twenty to one but he 

 walks out pipe in mouth to see which way the clouds 

 are drifting, so as to speculate on the weather of the 

 morrow, or perhaps to listen to the nocturnal cries 

 of the birds and animals of the mountain or loch. 

 You seldom see him fill his pipe ; it seems ready 

 cliarged, always fit for action, and also self-extin- 

 guishing in some inexplicable manner ; as on your 

 asking him a question suddenly when out on the hill, 



