142 DAYS OF DEER-STALKING. 



make our promised libations in favour of the good old 

 forester." 



Whilst honest Davy was extracting this desideratum 

 from his pocket, one of the dogs slipped his collar, and 

 seized the throat of the hart, which the men were lifting 

 out from the burn, with savage ferocity ; being choked off 

 when they gained the banks, he turned his wrath towards 

 his friend in the leash, and these two bloodthirsty villains 

 flew furiously at each other, and were parted at some risk 

 and difficulty. This sort of conflict was, indeed, a very 

 common occurrence ; it began with a low growl, then a 

 grinning, and exposition of certain white teeth ; then a 

 setting up of bristles, a sudden spring, and war to the knife. 



" Now, then, all hands to work, and let us see if the fat 

 of this fine fellow is braised by the fall. No, I am sure it 

 is not ; he feels quite firm and sound. Davy, you rogue, 

 put the quaigh in your pocket, and gralloch the other deer, 

 whilst we attend to this." 



The harts fell near the pine woods of Blair: a smart walk, 

 varied with an occasional run, put in practice when their 

 late feat came vividly over them, soon brought them to 

 Blair. They no longer heeded the rain and the blast, but 

 now rather rejoiced in it. 



" Forsan et haec olim meminisse juvabit." 



CHAPTER VI. 



TheForest of Atholl. Probable number of deer, and their size. Cumyn's cairn. Highland 

 yengeance. Fatal accident. Principal glens. Glen Tilt. Marble quarries. Roe 

 deer. lakes and lodges Merry foresters. Forest song Cuirn-Marnich. Last 

 execution at Blair. Arrest of a murderer. Royal feasting and hunting. Palace in 

 the forest, and Highland cheer. Burning of the palace. Kilmavonaig beer. 

 Cumyn's death. Belief in Witchcraft. M. G. Lewis's legendary tale of the Witch 

 of Ben-y-gloe. 



" There's the dae, the rae, the hart, the hynde, 



And of a' wild beastis great plentie ; 

 There's a fair castell of lyme, and stane, 

 gif it stands not pleasantlie ! " 



Minstrelsy of the Border. 



THE celebrated forest of Atholl comprehends a vast tract of 

 moor and mountain, extending, by hillman's computation, 



