WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS 



The boys were the constant companions of his sport when school 

 permitted, and sometimes the schoolmaster was forgotten when the car 

 came to the door to take papa and Rennie (Donald) to the loch. 

 Then, on the return, there were the contents of the game-bag to 

 examine, — rare specimens to note, and sometimes to preserve and stuff 

 g.fter Mr. Hancock's directions, who was a great friend and ally of old 

 and young. In the evening the drawing-room was a pretty sight. Some 

 rare bird, or, if no rarity offered, a good handsome old blackcock, was 

 displayed en pose for the artists, and father and children made studies 

 in water-colours of a head, a claw, or a tail of the fine bird. Without 

 pretending to much skill in art, St. John drew easily and coloured 

 dexterously what was placed before Jiim, and he made all his children 

 able to do the same. — P. xxviii. 



But the end of this happy, indu.strious life was approach- 

 ing. The pen which had delighted so many lovers of nature 

 by its graphic accounts of sport and natural history was soon 

 to drop useless from the hand. St. John had been a sufferer 

 for a long time from severe headaches. After a violent attack 

 in the beginning of December 1853 he seemed better, and was 

 on his way to shoot at Pluscardine, when on 6th December he 

 was struck down by paralysis of the whole left side. Quite 

 powerless, yet perfectly conscious, he was carefully tended and 

 taken home by Major Campbell. For many weeks he was 

 tenderly nursed by him and by his own devoted family. He 

 never recovered the use of his limbs, but was enabled to go 

 south for change of scene and air. Brighton, however, and 

 Southampton did not appear to do him much good. He still 

 cherished the hope of ending his days in the Highlands ; but 

 death released him on I2th July 1856 at Woolston, and he 

 was buried hard by in Southampton Cemetery. At his feet 

 inside the cofifin was placed the skull of a favourite retriever, 

 the successor of " Grip." During the two- years of his illness 

 his patience and resignation were wonderful after the active 

 life that he had almost always led out of doors among his 

 favourite sports and in the observation of nature. It might 

 have been expected that he would have pined for freedom and 

 exercise, but no sign of such a feeling ever showed itself. He 

 left three sons and one daughter, who are still living. 



Charles St. John is famous as a sportsman, a naturalist, 

 and a writer. As a sportsman, his fire and eagerness were 

 extreme ; and he was especially fond of seeing his dogs work as 



