MODE OF KILLING DEER. 297 



THE FOREST OF GLENGARRY. 



THE Glengarry forest is situated in Inverness-shire, and is 

 about seven miles long from east to west. On the north it 

 is bounded by Glen Loing, and on the south by the ridges 

 of the hill.* Part of the ground consists of good pasture, 

 with rich meadow land on the banks of the river ; on the 

 northern part there is long heather and reed, and near the 

 top of the ridges, much sweet grass, of which the deer are 

 particularly fond. The whole of this extent has been 

 preserved from sheep for about forty-six years, and is still 

 retained as a forest, generally known by the name of 

 " Eisnich." Stags, however, are not found in it in great 

 numbers, except in the rutting season. The late Glengarry 

 preserved the greater part of this ground as a " Sanctuary," 

 never permitting any one to hunt in it, even in pursuit of 

 a wounded deer ; thus, when the game was disturbed on 

 the neighbouring hills, they made towards this spot as their 

 refuge. The pasture being good, the climate comparatively 

 mild, and the snow never lying long on the ground, are 

 circumstances so favourable, that the deer attain to a large 

 size. The late Glengarry killed a hart, which weighed 

 twenty-six stone, and the present proprietor, another of the 

 weight of twenty -four stone five pounds, both weighed 

 after the gralloch had been taken out. The latter deer had 

 previously been wounded in the shoulder by the same 

 gentleman about ten days before the last decisive shot, by 

 which occurrence he was somewhat wasted. 



The mode of killing deer at present practised in this 

 forest is such as would naturally be used in any other 

 ground of a similar nature. They are stalked on the hills, 

 and in the lower ground the woods are driven, whilst the 

 passes are occupied by the rifle-men. Formerly there were 

 grand hunts, when the herd was driven into lake Dulachan 

 by a strong cordon of men, and the slaughter took place in 

 its waters. 



The late Glengarry, amongst other things, was celebrated 



* By the hill, I believe, is meant the general mountain range which rises 

 from the Strath. 



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