CHAP, xxxii AN AUTUMNAL WALK 279 



Scotland than during any other season of the year. And, as 

 for weather, after the first burst of the equinoctial winds and 

 rains, the climate is as good as in any part of Great Britain. 

 The fine clear bracing frosts of the autumn are nowhere to be 

 felt with greater enjoyment than on the mountains. It is not, 

 indeed, quite so desirable to bivouac out, " sub Jove frigido," in 

 the month of October or November, with no covering but a 

 plaid and a heap of heather, as it is in July or August; still I 

 have done so, and been none the worse for it. 



Some years back I remember sleeping under a rock in the 

 beginning of October with much satisfaction, and no ill conse- 

 quences to myself 



The red deer had just commenced what is called by the 

 Highlanders roaring,^ i.e. uttering their loud cries of defiance to 

 rival stags, and of warning to their rival mistresses. 



There had been seen, and reported to me, a particularly 

 large and fine-antlered stag, whose branching honours I wished 

 to transfer from the mountain side to the walls of my own hall. 

 Donald and myself accordingly, one fine morning early in 

 October, started before daybreak for a distant part of the 

 mountain, where we expected to find him ; and we resolved to 

 pass the night at a shepherd's house far up in the hills, if we 

 found that our chase led us too far from home to return the 

 same evening. 



Long was our walk that day before we saw horn or hoof ; 

 many a likely burn and corrie did we search in vain. The 

 shepherds had been scouring the hills the day before for their 

 sheep, to divide those which were to winter in the low ground 

 from those which were to remain on the hills. However, the 

 day was fine and frosty, and we were in the midst of some of 

 the most magnificent scenery in Scotland ; so that I, at least, 

 was not much distressed at our want of luck. Poor Donald, 

 who had not the same enjoyment in the beauty of the scene, 

 unless it were enlivened by a herd of deer here and there, began 

 to grumble and lament our hard fate ; particularly as towards 

 evening wild masses of cloud began to sweep up the glens and 

 along the sides of the mountain, and every now and then a 

 storm of cold rain and sleet added to the discomfort of our 



' The old word for this is "bell " [i.e. bellow), see Marmion, iv. 15 : 

 " The wild-buck bells from ferny brake." 



