198 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS chap. 



eagerly, and when they looked up I lay still flatter on the 

 ground with my face buried in the heather. They appeared, 

 however, not to suspect danger in the open plain, but often 

 looked anxiously towards the burn or the rocky side of the 

 mountain. One old long-legged hind kept me in a constant 

 state of alarm, as she frequently looked in my direction, turning 

 her ears as if to catch some suspicious sound. As for the stag, 

 he never looked about him once, leaving that to the hinds. I 

 at last got within about a hundred yards of the whole of them : 

 as they fed in a group turned away from me, I could not get a 

 shot at anything but their Rind-quarters, and I did not wish to 

 shoot unless I could get a fair broadside towards me. While 

 waiting for an opportunity, still flat on the ground, a grouse 

 cock walked out of the heather close to me, and strutted on 

 with head erect and his bright eye fixed on me till he came to 

 a little hillock, where; he stopped and began to utter a note of 

 alarm. Instantly every deer left off eating. I saw that no 

 time was to be lost and raised myself on my elbow, and with 

 cocked rifle waited for the hinds to move, that I might get at 

 the stag, who was in the midst of them. The hinds soon saw 

 me and began to trot away, but their leader seemed determined 

 to see what the danger was, and before he started turned round 

 to look towards the spot where the grouse was, giving me a 

 good slanting shot at his shoulder. I immediately touched the 

 trigger, feeling at the same time sure of my aim. The ball 

 went true and down he fell. I began reloading, but before I 

 had half done the stag was up again and making play after the 

 hinds, who were galloping up a gentle slope of the hill. The 

 poor beast was evidently moving with the greatest difficulty 

 and pain ; sometimes coming to his knees, and then recovering 

 himself with a strong effort, he still managed to keep not far 

 behind them. I sat down in utter despair : looking round too 

 for Donald and Bran I could see nothing of them. Between 

 anxiety and vexation I did not know what to do. All at once 

 I saw the hinds dash away in different directions, and the next 

 moment my gallant Bran appeared in the midst of them. I 

 shouted with joy. On came- the dog, taking no notice of the 

 hinds, but making straight for the stag, who stood still for one 

 instant, and then rushed with apparently full vigour down the 

 hill. Down they came towards the burn, the dog not five yards 



