cHap, Xx1.! DEATH OF MY FIRST STAG. 178 
paces, and then getting into the course of the burn, got within 
three hundred yards of the deer, but by no means whatever 
could we get nearer. The stag was a splendid fellow, with ten 
points, and regular and fine-shaped horns. Bran winded them, 
and watched us most earnestly, as if to ask why we did not try 
to get at them. The sensible dog, however, kept quite quiet, as 
if aware of the importance of not being seen or heard. Donald 
asked me what o’clock it was; I told him that it was just two. 
“Well, well, Sir, we must just wait here till three o’clock, when 
the deer will get up to feed, and most likely the brutes will 
travel towards the burn. The Lord save us, but yon’s a muckle 
beast.” Trusting to his experience, I waited patiently, employ- 
ing myself in attempting to dry my hose by wringing them, and 
placing them in the sun. Donald took snuff and watched the 
deer, and Bran laid his head on his paws as if asleep, but his 
sharp eye, and ear pricked up on the slightest movement, showed 
that he was ready for action at a moment’s warning. As nearly 
as possible at three o’clock they did get up to feed: first the 
hinds rose and cropped a few mouthfuls of the coarse grass near 
them; looking at and waiting for their lord and master, who, 
however, seemed lazily inclined and would not move; the young 
stag fed steadily on towards us. 
Frequently the hinds stopped and turned back to their leader, 
who remained quite motionless, excepting that now and then he 
scratched a fly off his flank with his horn or turned his head 
towards the hill side when a grouse crowed or a plover whistled. 
The young stag was feeding quietly within a hundred and fifty 
yards of us, and we had to lie flat on the ground now and then 
to escape his observation. The evening air already began to 
feel chill, when suddenly the object of our pursuit jumped up, 
stretched himself, and began feeding. Not liking the pasture 
close to him, he trotted at once down into the flat ground right 
away from us. Donald uttered a Gaelic oath, and I fear I added 
an English one. The stag that had been feeding so near us 
stood still for a minute to watch the others, who were all now 
several hundred yards away, grazing steadily. I aimed at him, 
but just as I was about to fire he turned away, leaving nothing 
but his haunch in view, and went after the rest. Donald ap- 
plauded me for not shooting at him, but told me that our case 
