HART AND HINDS 285 



pinch of snuff, and was all right. The sun was not yet above 

 the horizon, though the tops of the mountains to the west were 

 already brightly gilt by its rays, and the grouse cocks were 

 answering each other in every direction. 



Having discharged our guns, which we did close to a steep 

 and very noisy cascade in the burn, so that the report could 

 scarcely be heard beyond the place we were in, we dried the 

 locks as well as we could, and after a meagre breakfast on the 

 remains of the trout and some very wretched remnants of oat- 

 cake, we proceeded on our journey. The deer had moved from 

 the valley where we had left them the previous evening ; but 

 Donald, who knew every mountain and glen in the country, 

 having ascertained exactly the way the wind came from, led me 

 off in an easterly direction. The sun was well up when we came 

 towards the summit of a hill from which he expected to see the 

 herd, and his anticipations proved to be correct ; on looking 

 carefully down into the extended valley below us, we saw the 

 whole of them. They had apparently finished feeding, and 

 were retiring to rest on a hill-side which faced the morning 

 sun ; the hinds were in a compact body, while the largest hart 

 kept a little to their rear, and constantly employed himself in 

 keeping off a number of smaller stags which were moving about ; 

 occasionally one of these would make an impatient rush into the 

 centre of the herd of hinds, but was as quickly driven out by the 

 large stag, who then returned to his post in the rear. When 

 they had ascended to near the summit, the hinds began to drop 

 one by one into the long heather, until they were all lying down, 

 with the exception of five or six who kept constantly fidgeting 

 about, turning their long ears and snuffing the air in all direc- 

 tions. The old stag walked quietly about, going round and 

 round the herd ; now and then lying down for a few moments, 

 and then rising again, to see that no other stag intruded too 

 near. The smaller stags kept continually circling round the 

 whole herd ; occasionally two of these youngsters would meet, 

 but after a few tilts at each other, separated again and continued 

 their watchful march. I saw no chance of getting near the big- 

 antlered leader, though one of the smaller stags could easily 

 have been shot. After consulting with Donald, I sent him to 

 make a large circuit, and when he got quite round them he was 

 to show himself in the distance to the deer. We reckoned on 



