JOHN AND I GO TO THE HIGH FLATS. 81 



one could gather which was at all useful in determining where these 

 deer had gone, but once a view from the crest became ours and the 

 story took a different turn. 



We looked over the reaches of a down slope extending for half a 

 mile to a valley, the valley, in turn, half a mile or more wide at this 

 point; in its lowest part a sizeable burn, on the far side at its edge 

 another hill like ours, rising gradually up to the sky, between the 

 hills, in view but on the far side of the stream, over a hundred deer, 

 large and little, unconscious of our presence, but not all content, for 

 the rutting season had just begun and the stags were mortal enemies 

 now where they had but lately been as friendly as brothers. 



Through the glasses the whole herd, brought close by the magic of 

 the optician aided by the clear air of the day, were as if at our feet, 

 to watch as we would. And there was nothing else to do but watch, 

 because the little stream which flowed between the deer and us 

 marked the limit of the march. That is to say, the extreme edge of 

 the Benmore deer forest in that direction. On the far side of it, 

 although the land was also that of my host, a lease ran on its broad 

 acres to another sportsman. 



So I say, all we could do was lie upon the grass-clad hill top and 

 watch our deer, now joined to another herd, feeding, fighting and 

 making love at their leisure, as safe from us as if in another world. 

 It was not so unpleasant, either. I could have wished, perhaps, a 

 shot at that fine sturdy fellow whose strength put all the other stags 

 to flight, but then why remove him? I rather thought it better as 

 it was. 



My opportunities for observing the habits of the deer at the mating 

 season were never better. These stags had for their ways those of 

 stags everywhere, I imagine; and they herded their harems of soft- 

 eyed hinds with as much care as I have seen a horse ranger on the 

 Western plains ride herd upon a wild lot of cayuses. 



When the stag was upon the one side of his little family herd some 

 interloper would approach from the other; whereupon the lordling 

 would rush frantically in that direction, antlers down and neck hairs 

 bristling. If the stranger thought well enough of himself to do battle 

 he stood fast and the antagonists met head on. 



