204 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS chap. 



confined between steep and rocky hills that come down to the 

 edge of the water ; varied here and there by less abrupt ascents, 

 covered with spreading juniper-bushes and green herbage. On 

 one of these bright spots we saw a hind and her calf, the former 

 standing to watch us as we passed up the opposite side of the 

 river, while her young one was playing about her like a lamb. 

 They did not seem to care much for our coming there ; and 

 having watched us for some time, and seeing that we had no 

 evil intention towards them, the hind recommenced feeding, 

 only occasionally stopping to see that we did not turn. The 

 ring-ouzel, that near cousin of the blackbird, frequently flitted 

 across the glen,- and, perching on a juniper-bush, saluted us with 

 its wild and sweet song. 



The morning was bright, and the river sparkled and danced 

 over its stony bed ; while every little pool was dimpled by the 

 rising of the trout, which jumped without dread of hook and line 

 at the small black gnats that were playing about the surface of 

 the water. A solitary heron was standing on a stone in the 

 middle of the stream, seemingly quite regardless of us. But 

 while I was looking at his shadowy figure, which was perfectly 

 reflected in the water beneath him, the bird suddenly flew off" 

 with a cry of alarm, occasioned by the appearance of a peregrine 

 falcon, who passed with even and rapid flight at no great height 

 along the course of the river, without taking the least notice of 

 the heron. 



Beautiful in its grand and wild solitude is the glen where 

 the Findhorn takes its rise ; seldom does the foot of man pass 

 by it. It is too remote even for the sportsman ; and the grouse 

 cock crows in peace, and struts without fear of pointer or gun, 

 when he comes down from the hill-slopes at noonday to sip the 

 clear waters of the springs that give birth to this beautiful river. 

 The red-deer fearlessly quenches his thirst in them, as he passes 

 from the hills of Killen to the pine-woods in Strathspey. 

 Seldom is he annoyed by 'the presence of mankind, unless a 

 chance shepherd or poacher from Badenoch happens to wander 

 in that direction. Having rested for a short time, and satisfied 

 my curiosity respecting the source of the river, v/e struck off" 

 over some very dreary slopes of high ground on the north-east, 

 interspersed with green stripes, through which small burns make 

 their way to swell the main stream of the river. Not a deer 



