CURRENTS OF AIR. 121 



I know nothing more beautiful than the running of a 

 skilful deer-stalker, when the harts are in quick motion. 

 He dashes after, or parallel to them, in order to come in at 

 certain places ; but never blindly, never straight forward, 

 as if he could overtake them ; but winding, sweeping, and 

 lurching behind the ridges and hillocks, or down a narrow 

 chasm, or up the stony channel of a burn, just keeping sight 

 of the points of their horns ; stooping or rising, moderating 

 or increasing his pace according to circumstances, always 

 preserving the wind, and taking care never to commit 

 himself by coming upon such an open tract of ground as 

 would fairly expose him to view; such blind rashness 

 would hurry on the herd, and give them a fresh start for 

 miles ; for even if he should discover a solitary hillock, or 

 block of granite, behind which he could find time to conceal 

 himself for the moment, still he could not advance from 

 this position, and he would be what is technically called 

 " locked in." 



Every person, I believe, who carries a rifle, is aware that 

 when deer are disturbed, they always move up wind. They 

 have an astonishing faculty of smelling the taint in the air 

 at an almost inconceivable distance ; being thus warned by 

 instinct, they are enabled to avoid an enemy in front, and 

 can go boldy forward over rugged ground and high points, 

 without being surprised by an ambush. It would appear, 

 then, at the first glance, that one's manoeuvres, so tar as 

 relates to the wind, would be simple and easily conducted ; 

 but this is by no means the case, the currents of air change 

 according to the disposition of the ground ; there are corries 

 so situated that the swells of wind come occasionally from 

 various quarters, and there areburns whosegeneral tendency 

 is in a direct line, but in whose various curvatures, the 

 wind comes sometimes from the north, and at others from 

 the opposite quarter; for it must be noted, that it always 

 blows up or down a glen, never across it. 



Thus, in particular situations, you cannot ascertain the 

 exact course of the wind without consulting that of the 

 clouds, to which a hill-man always looks ; but in all doubt- 

 ful points, when the sky is cloudless, and the air tolerably 

 still, a little tow dropped from your hand will indicate its 

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