82 DAYS OF DEER-STALKING. 



glimpse they bad of the hill-mau's bonnet makes them sus- 

 pect an ambush iu that quarter ; but when they descend 

 into this glen, which, as you see, lies some three thousand 

 feet below us, they may go straight forward to the south, 

 which will be equally bad, avoid our hill entirely, and 

 extricate themselves from the Caudine Forks without a shot. 

 But I hope Maclaren may match them yet." 



" You will think this is slow work, and so indeed it is 

 just at present ; but if things go favourably, take my word 

 for it, you will have no reason to complain on that score. 

 We shall try your wind again, my good fellow, I promise 

 you. But at any rate it is no little matter to see the 

 graceful motions of the deer, and mark their intelligence 

 and sagacity. See, now they stop, and examine all the 

 glen before they venture rashly into it ; they scan every 

 part of the ground, and gaze so intently that no object can 

 escape them that lies within the limit of their vision. 



" I may as well tell you, that if the hill-man had come 

 down right upon them in the first or second instance, and 

 endeavoured to drive them as one drives sheep, they would 

 immediately have raced away straight south, right up 

 the wind, and have soon been out of our cast. When 

 they see their enemy, they easily discover his drift, and 

 take pretty good care to defeat it. See how carefully they 

 march, like a retreating army, with their front and rear 

 guard." 



" Beautiful ! and with such measured steps : so stately, 

 winding down that horrid rocky precipice, which I should 

 have thought impassable by living beast. What are our 

 firmest resolves ? I shall take one of the rifles, if they 

 come near enough, notwithstanding my previous determina- 

 tion, for this day I mean to immortalise myself." 



" I am rejoiced to hear you say so : and now we must 

 crawl farther forward, for the deer are fast sinking below 

 out of our sight ; already they are at the bottom of the 

 glen, on the banks of the Mark ; and now, Peter, after all 

 this trouble, I fear our chance is gone, for they are all going 

 straight down the glen, and will not cross to us." 



Here Peter pressed the master's arm, and pointed. 



" Did you no see yon parcel of hinds there towards the 



