An October Day in the Forest 



tion, however, was such that they fed away from us across 

 the march into safety. 



Crossing the plateau to spy the east-facing corries, one 

 felt the charm of this fine autumn afternoon. Even at a 

 height of over 3,000 feet the north-west wind had little sting 

 in its breath. Eastward lay the great Cairngorm range. 

 Braeriach and Cairn Toul were enveloped in dark clouds. On 

 Monadh Mor mist rose and fell, but on the summit of Beinn 

 Bhrotain the October sun shone clearly. We reached a bare 

 ridge of the hill and cautiously looked into the dip beneath. 

 Here a number of hinds, and with them a good stag, were 

 feeding near some peat hags. 



The stag, in chasing the hinds, floundered unwittingly 

 into a slimy hole, sinking almost to the belly. Near at hand 

 stood a second stag, roaring by himself; this beast may 

 possibly have had the worst of an encounter with the stag 

 now in possession of the hinds. 



There was no cover near them; besides, the wind was 

 unfavourable. A difficult shot was tried unsuccessfully by 

 my companion, and as the evening was closing in and a long 

 tramp lay bfetween us and the lodge, a start was made for 

 home. Down a deep glen, with hills rising high on either 

 side, our way lay. On either hill face a number of stags 

 and hinds were grazing. Above the hill-top an eagle sailed. 

 Soon he was joined by his mate, the latter distinguished 

 by her larger size. Close to each other for long the two birds 

 soared, and unexpectedly a third eagle — ^also a hen — joined 

 them. The pair now headed away westward, and at least 

 twice their curiously musical yelping cry floated across to me 

 on the calm evening air. Not for a number of years had I 

 heard this cry, for the eagle is essentially a bird of silence, 

 and in silent mystery sails above the corries of the great hills. 

 Several times the eagles swooped down close to where the 

 deer were grazing, as though to annoy them, and indeed they 

 at times caused these animals considerable alarm. 



A keen naturalist, and one who must have accounted for 



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