V POACHERS KILLING DEER 57 



Englishman, and we wouldna wish to get them to lose their 

 bread by being turned away on our account. So it's not often 

 we trouble the forest, unless, maybe, we have a young dog to 

 try, and we canna get a run at a deer on the marches of the 

 ground, where it would harm no one." 



" And how do you manage not to be caught ? " was my 

 question. 



" Why, we sleep at some shepherd's house or shealing ; and 

 if there is not one convenient, we lay out somewhere on the 

 ground, going to our sleeping-place after nightfall ; and so we 

 are ready to get at the deer by daylight ; and maybe we have 

 killed one and carried him off before the foresters have found 

 out that we are out." 



It is not so easy, however, for the poachers to kill deer 

 undiscovered with dogs, as it is with the gun ; for in the event 

 of the greyhounds getting in chase of a young stag or a hind, 

 they may be led away to a great distance, and in the course of 

 the run move half the deer in the forest ; and there is no surer 

 sign of mischief being afloat than seeing the deer passing over 

 the hills in a startled manner. No man, accustomed to them, 

 can mistake this sign of an enemy having disturbed them ; and 

 one can judge pretty well the direction the alarm comes from 

 by taking notice of the quarter in which the wind is, and from 

 which part of the mountain the deer are moving. With a rifle, 

 however, in the hand of a good shot, the business is soon over, 

 without frightening the rest of the herd a tenth part so much, 

 or making them change their quarters to such a distance ; , and 

 even if the shot is heard by the keepers, which is a great 

 chance, it is not easy to judge exactly from which direction it 

 comes amongst the numerous corries and glens which confuse 

 and mislead the listener. 



Ronald told me that one day his dogs brought a fine stag 

 to bay, in a burn close to the house of the forester on the 

 ground where he was poaching : " The forester luckily was no 

 at hame, sir ; but the dogs made an awful noise, yowling at the 

 stag ; and a bit lassie came out and tried to stone them off the 

 beast ; so I was feared they might turn on her, and I just 

 stepped down from where I was looking at them, and putting 

 my handkerchief over my face, that the lassie mightn't ken me, 

 took the dogs away, though it was a sair pity, as it was a fine 



