START FROM BLAIR CASTLE. 53 



Graves, who hunted the wild-deer in Devonshire, that these 

 animals, when they find themselves pursued by scent, 

 generally run down, wind ; and the same thing has been 

 asserted to me by others. This is an extraordinary instance 

 of sagacity, as their natural instinct leads them to the 

 opposite direction, it being a most difficult thing for men 

 alone to drive them down wind. 



In the following pages I confine myself to a description 

 of the mode of killing deer now in use in the Highlands, 

 which may be considered limited to the two methods of 

 driving and stalking: the former of these offers more room 

 for the companionship and friendly rivalry, which confers 

 its main zest on sport of every description ; but the latter, 

 if it has the disadvantage of being pursued in a more 

 solitary guise, yet gives so much scope to skill and 

 manoeuvring, and exhibits the motions and the defensive 

 instincts of the stag in such a beautiful manner, tried as 

 he is under every variety of incident, that I have always 

 considered it as creating a deeper and more absorbing in- 

 terest. Those sportsmen, therefore, who agree with me, 

 will not be surprised at my dwelling on it with the natural 

 preference of a fond lover of the spirit-stirring craft. 



CHAPTER II. 



Start from Blair Castle. Bruar Lodge. A Comrade joins. Ascent of Ben Dairg. 

 Ptarmigans. Forest-Scenery. Spirit-stirring Interest. A Hart Discovered. 

 Manoeuvring. Wading a Burn. Getting a quiet Shot. Dogs Slipped. The Bay in 

 a Mountain Cataract. Dogs in Peril. Death and Gralloching of the Deer. Cruel 

 Death of a Deerhound. Origin and Antiseptic Property of Peat Bogs. Ascent of 

 Ben-y-venie. A Herd Discovered. Plan and Manoeuvring. Alarm, and Movements 

 of the Deer. An Injudicious Shot. A Successful One. A Deerhound Slipped. 

 Bay. Strange Adventure. A Wild Huntsman. Encounter with a Bear. Loss of a 

 Huge Salmon. The Gown-cromb of Badenoeh and his Story. 



" As he came down by Merriemass, 



And in the benty line, 

 There has he espied a deer lying 

 Aneath a bush of ling. " 



Minstrelsy of the Border. 



" IT'S just the skreek o' day, yer honour, and time ye war 

 out o' bed." 



" Rather farther on, I'm thinking, Peter ; so take away 

 the rifles, balls and all, get the men together, and make 



