OHAP, V.| POACHING FOR DEER. 51 
they descend from the more barren heights to feed on the grass 
and rushes near his place of concealment. On they come, till he 
can actually hear their breathing as they crop the herbage; and 
can frequently distinguish their ghostlike forms as they pass to 
and fro, sometimes grazing, and sometimes butting at each other 
in fancied security. His own heart beats so that he almost fears 
the deer will hear him. Often his finger is on the trigger; but 
he still refrains, as no deer has come into full view which he 
thinks worth killing. At last a movement amongst the herd 
apprises him that the master stag is probably approaching. And 
suddenly the gaunt form of the animal appears in strong relief 
between him and the sky, standing on some rising bit of ground, 
within thirty yards of the muzzle of his gun. The next instant 
the loud report is echoing and rolling along the mountain side, 
till it gradually dies away in the distance. The stag, on receiving 
the shot, utters a single groan, partly of affright and partly of 
pain, and drops to the ground, where he lies plunging and floun- 
dering, but unable to rise from having received three good-sized 
pistol-balls in his shoulder. The rest of the herd, frightened by 
the report and the flash of the gun, dart off at first in all direc- 
tions ; but soon collecting together, they can be heard in the 
still night, for some time after they are lost to view, going up 
the hill side at a steady gallop. The poacher rushes up to the 
stag, who is now nearly motionless, only showing symptoms of 
life by his loud, deep breathing, and an occasional quiver of his 
limbs, as his life is oozing rapidly away in streams of blood. 
The skene dhu, plunged into the root of his neck, and reaching 
to his heart, soon ends his struggles; and before the next morn- 
ing the carcass is carried off and cut up. Many a noble stag 
falls in this way. Near the Caledonian Canal, which affords 
great facility of carriage, the Lochaber poachers kill a consider- 
able number during the season, sending them to Edinburgh, 
Glasgow, or other large towns, where they have some confidential 
friend to receive and sell them. In Edinburgh, there are num- 
bers of men who work as porters, &c. during the winter, and 
poach in the Highlands during the autumn. When in town, 
these men are useful to their friends on the hills in disposing of 
their game, which is all killed for the purpose of being sent away, 
and not for consumption in the country. 
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