THE SLAUGHTER. 179 



digious rate, and went forward, reeking and steaming, right 

 up the face of the great mountain. 



" Quick, quick, uncouple the lurchers." 



The dogs spring from the leash, strive and press for- 

 wards; but are half blown before they come up with them. 

 The herd now collect into a dense mass, each deer wedging 

 himself into it as he finds he is the particular object of 

 attack. Not a single hart fell out; and the hounds at 

 length returned, with slinking countenances and drooping 

 sterns, lolling out their tongues, they lie panting on the 

 greensward. 



The sport however had been excellent ; the Duke of 

 Atholl (always the most skilful and successful of the 

 party) killed three first rate harts ; our friend Lightfoot 

 two, decidedly : two more were killed, as your rustic 

 grammarian has it, somewhat promiscuously ; and the old 

 sportsmen also did considerable execution, selecting their 

 harts with great tact. Moreover there were slain three 

 hinds, that nobody would own to, and an exceedingly pro- 

 mising young fawn, repudiated also by all.* The French 

 Count, whom we noticed on the mountains, distinguished 

 himself in his own particular manner : but his high achieve 

 ments well merit a separate history ; and that they shall 

 have. 



And now let us go back to Tortoise, and see if he was 

 idle all this time. No, not so ; for a few harts and hinds 

 broke over to the west, and, as the general sport was already 

 secured, he used his pleasure with them. He had only two 

 rifles, the third having been given to Jamieson to kill the 

 deer at bay ; he came well into them, and, at the first shot, 

 slew a noble hart ; but there was another in the parcel still 

 superior, which had been running on the opposite side : as 

 the men got forward, the little herd came sweeping round 

 over the open ground, towards Clashtyne, describing the 

 segment of a circle. 



* It was considered a disgrace, as has been elsewhere intimated, to kill 

 hinds and fawns ; a stranger, not aware of this, wrote to thank the late 

 Duke of Gordon for a day's deer-shooting in Gawick ; intimating how 

 happy his Grace would be to hear of his success, for that he had wounded 

 a hind, and killed an exceedingly promising young fawn. 



