THE BLACK MOUNT. 309 



pasture, is one of the causes of the excellent condition in 

 which the deer of this forest are usually found. 



The stags of the Black Mount exceed those of most of the 

 neighbouring forests in point of weight, and may be esti- 

 mated at an average of from sixteen to seventeen stones, 

 imperial, sinking the offal ; and they are frequently found 

 to weigh eighteen, nineteen, to twenty-one stones, having 

 two or three inches of fat on the haunches. Their heads 

 likewise are large in proportion, being of a much more 

 vigorous growth than those of the Atholl or the Mar deer. 

 One of the great advantages of the Black Mount forest is, 

 that it forms the summit level of that part of the High- 

 lands, and that it has equally extensive grounds on each 

 side, both east and west ; so that from whatever quarter 

 the wind may blow, or from whatever side the deer may be 

 disturbed, they seldom leave its bounds, but feed over either 

 to the one side or the other. The hills being extremely 

 rocky and precipitous, and there being only certain places 

 by which the deer can pass from one corrie to another, the 

 mode of killing by driving them is pretty certain. Stalk- 

 ing is very difficult in most parts of the forest, owing to 

 the very steep and rugged nature of the ground. It may 

 be mentioned, as a proof of this, that some poachers who 

 were pursuing deer in the forest in the winter some years 

 ago lost one of their companions, who was killed by falling 

 over a rock. 



This forest, like many others, has irnmemorially been 

 believed to possess its white hind ; to which, among other 

 evidence, the following extract refers, from the old family 

 manuscript at Taymouth, called the Black Book : 



" Upon the thettene day of February, anno 1622, the 

 king's majesty send John Skandebar, Englishman, with 

 other twa Englishmen in his company, to see ane quhyt 

 hynd that was in Corrichiba, upon the 22nd day of February, 

 anno 1622." 



In reference to this old story it may be mentioned that 

 at this day there is a very light coloured deer in this forest, 

 which all the foresters speak of as the white deer. 



If " Lord Reay's country " can boast of having given 

 birth to the celebrated poet Rob Doun, the precincts of the 



