POACHERS AND FREEBOOTERS. 191 



CHAPTER VIII. 



OF POACHERS AND FREEBOOTERS. 



Forest Contracts. Wandering Poachers. English Vagabonds. Adventure at Pelaar. 

 Highland Vampire. Peter Breck's Backsliding. Trap Baited with Whiskey. The 

 Gaig Pet Stolen. Poacher's Adventure. Desolate Situation. A Highland Witch. 

 Chisholm's Cave. Freebooter's Life. John More. Sutherland Monster. A Priest 

 in Jeopardy. Highland Robin Hood. Ourna-kelig. The Widow's Hospitality. 

 Rival Poachers in Atholl. Adventure in Glen Tilt. Rob Doun. Curious Trial for 

 Murder. A Polyglot Ghost. Ghost no Lawyer. 



" Donald Caird can wire a maukin' ; 

 Kens the wiles o' dun deer staukin' ; 

 Listers kippers, makes a shift 

 To shoot a moor-fowl in a drift. 

 Water-bailiffs, rangers, keepers, 

 He can wauk whiles they are sleepers ; 

 Nor for bountith or reward, 

 Dare you mell wi' Donald Caird." 



SIR W. SCOTT. 



THE passion for hunting wild animals is probably one of 

 the most powerful affections of the mind where it has once 

 taken root. It is the recreation of nobles and of kings, the 

 solace of the gentry, and the allurement of the paradise of 

 wild nations. After death, the Indian of the West believes 

 that he shall ascend the Rocky Mountains, " and there 

 among the crags, and snows, and tumbling torrents ; and 

 after many moons of painful toil, he will reach the summit, 

 from whence he will have a view over the land of souls; 

 there he will see the happy hunting-grounds, with the spirits 

 of the brave and the good, living in tents in the green mea- 

 dows, by bright running streams; or hunting the herds 

 of Buffalo, and elks, and deer, which have been slain on 

 earth." * 



If we look back to remote periods in our own country, 

 we shall find that the most severe laws mutilation, and 

 even the penalty of death itself, have not had sufficient ter- 

 rors to arrest the course of unlawful depredators. Deer- 

 killing by poachers was formerly carried on to such an 



* Adventures of Captain Bonneville, by W. Irvine, Esq. 



