166 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. [cmap. xx. 
four guns. Having placed the other three in passes along the edge 
of the swamps, through which the roe and foxes would have to 
make their way on going from one wood to the other, I went 
into the thickets with the keepers and hounds. We had hardly 
entered when up gota fine buck, and the beagles were immediately 
laid on, and away they went; I ran to a small height from which 
Thad a good view of the country—away went the buck ata rattling 
pace, and the gallant little pack hard on his track, making the 
woods echo with their enlivening cry. The buck first took a 
line into the roughest part of the ground, expecting no doubt to 
throw off the dogs at once, as he probably had often done with 
sheep-dogs or curs that had chased him; but finding :that his 
persevering little enemies were not to be so outwitted, after 
standing still for a short time to deliberate, he turned back and 
went straight for the swamp where the guns were, but seeing 
the hat of one of the gentlemen posted there, and not liking to 
cross the water directly in his face, he turned along the edge of 
it, half inclined to go back. But just at this instant the little 
pack came full cry out of the wood—their deep notes sounding 
in full chorus as they came upon the open ground; they were 
rather at a loss for a moment or two, and I ran up to put them 
on the scent. The buck, who had been watching us as he went 
quietly along, was decided as to his course by seeing this, and 
the moment the dogs’ cry gave notice that they had found the 
scent again, he dashed into the water at a place where there was 
no pass—it was not above a hundred yards in width, and ex- 
cepting two or three yards in the middle where he had to 
swim, not deeper than a few inches. ‘The beagles came full 
cry on his track, and just viewed him as he was cantering up a 
steep ascent on the other side of the water; they at once dashed 
in, and, encouraged by a view holloa, swam through the water 
and took up the scent immediately—away they went, till 
we lost all sound of them; presently we heard their notes 
borne down on the wind from a great distance—the sound 
came nearer and nearer, and soon the buck appeared on the 
top of the brae, near the water’s edge, directly above two of the 
guns, who had got together tired of waiting, and were discussing 
the price of railway-sleepers, &c. The deer stood watching 
them for some minites, till the hounds came within fifty yards 
