38 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS 



running about like tame chickens, they fly rapidly off to 

 some distance, either round some shoulder of the mountain, 

 or by crossing some precipitous and rocky ravine get quite 

 out of reach. The shooting these birds should only be 

 attempted on fine, calm days. The labour of reaching 

 the ground they inhabit is great, and it often requires a 

 firm foot and steady head to keep the sportsman out of 

 danger after he has got to the rocky and stony summit of 

 the mountain. 



In deer-stalking T have sometimes come amongst large 

 flocks of ptarmigan, which have run croaking close to me, 

 apparently conscious that my pursuit of nobler game would 

 prevent my firing at them. Once, on one of the highest 

 mountains of Scotland, a cold, wet mist suddenly came on. 

 We heard the ptarmigan near us in all directions, but could 

 see nothing at a greater distance than five or six yards. 

 We were obliged to sit down and wait for the mist to, clear 

 away, as we found ourselves gradually getting entangled 

 amongst loose rocks, which frequently, on the slightest touch, 

 rolled away from under our feet, and we heard them dashing 

 and bounding down the steep sides of the mountain, sometimes 

 appearing, from the noise they made, to be dislodging and 

 driving before them large quantities of debris ; others seemed 

 to bound in long leaps down the precipices, till we lost the 

 sound far below us in the depths of the corries. Not knowing 

 our way in the least, we agreed to come to a halt for a short 

 time, in hopes of some alteration in the weather. Presently a 

 change came over the appearance of the mist, which settled in 

 large fleecy masses below us, leaving us as it were on an island 

 in the midst of a snow-white sea, the blue sky and bright sun 

 above us without a cloud. As a light air sprang up, the mist 

 detached itself in loose masses, and by degrees drifted off the 

 mountain side, affording us again a full view of all around us. 



The magnificence of the scenery, looking down from some 

 of these mountain heights into the depths of the rugged 

 and steep ravines below, is often more splendid and awfully 

 beautiful than pen or pencil can describe ; and the effect 

 is often greatly increased by the contrast between some 

 peaceful and sparkling stream and green valley seen afar 

 off, and the rugged and barren foreground of rock and ravine, 



