192 DEER-STALKING 



My excuse for this rests on the fact that the share taken 

 by myself in the controversy which has raged on the 

 subject has been so prominent. When I first entered 

 public life I came to the conclusion that there existed 

 a strong public opinion, based on an imperfect 

 knowledge of the facts, distinctly hostile to the 

 institution of deer forests ; that unless someone took 

 up the matter seriously and energetically, with a view 

 to bring out facts and see that they were arranged in 

 a shape which would be authoritative and easy of 

 reference, the feeling above referred to might increase 

 in intensity, while the opponents of the system, see- 

 ing there was practically no defence, might carry the 

 outworks with a rush, and the owners of a valuable 

 property would suddenly find themselves in a position 

 of possessing .the land indeed, but no longer having 

 the power to devote it to any profitable use. 



For many years I laboured in the hope, which 

 success has now justified, that by affording to those 

 interested in the subject the means of knowing the 

 true state of matters, and by correcting many false 

 impressions which had hitherto prevailed, I was doing 

 good service to every class and every interest in the 

 Highlands. This work entailed, as will be easily 

 understood, a certain amount of unpopularity, and 

 perhaps has met with scant recognition on the part of 



