294 FIELD-NOTES FOR THE YEAR. CH. XX. 



The beaters came closer and closer to us, and in 

 spite of my prognostications no more deer appeared. 

 At last the men issued out of the wood, at the point 

 nearest us ; and one of them came up towards 

 where we were, to call us down. A drizzly shower 

 had commenced, and we had put the gun-covers on 

 our rifles, when suddenly from under a single birch- 

 tree, which was about fifty yards from us, and 

 about the same distance from the beater, rose a 

 magnificent stag, in the finest condition, and with 

 " a head of ten." Before we could get out our 

 rifles he was behind a rise in the ground which con- 

 cealed him from us until he was too far for a ball 

 to reach him ; and then he again appeared galloping 

 heavily off' for the same point at which the hinds had 

 crossed the hill. We were both of us dumb with 

 surprise and vexation ; but not so the Highlander 

 below us, who, in the most frantic state of eagerness 

 and rage, hallooed and vociferated in Gaelic and 

 English, for the stag passed, with broadside on, 

 within forty yards of liim. A'N'ithout moving from 

 our position we watched the animal for some time ; 

 then, returning our rifles to their waterproof cases, 

 we, as if by a common impulse, lit the pipe of con- 

 solation in the shape of a cigar. Whilst so em- 

 ployed, with our heads bent from the cold misty 

 blast, we again heard the man below us, shouting 



