CHAP. XXXIV.] COURSING DEER. 2638 
Malcolm, and we immediately agreed that no time was to be lost, 
lest they should take alarm at Donald, whose whereabouts the 
hind seemed strongly to suspect. 
We had a difficult task in advancing the next fifty yards with 
the dogs. The sensible animals, however, crouched when we 
did, and were wonderfully little in the way considering the 
nature of the ground which we had to pass. The old hind’s ears 
were visible, but no more of her, as we crept along ; she appeared 
to be still intently watching in the same direction as before. 
Having crawled over a small height, we got into a hollow place, 
and then proceeded to put the dogs’ collars and straps in a state 
to enable us to slip them at a moment’s warning. Both Bran 
and Oscar stood motionless, and almost seemed to turn their 
necks in order to assist us in the operation. 
We then advanced with great care and silence, on our hands 
and knees, for a couple of hundred yards along a cut in the 
ground that took us away from the burn. Every thing had 
favoured us, the deer’s attention had been taken off by Donald, 
and the ground had been the easiest I ever stalked a deer in. 
We were now within about a hundred yards of them, and could 
get no nearer unobserved ; so patting the dogs, and whispering a 
word of encouragement to them, we led them in front of us, and 
rising up in full view of the deer, pointed towards them. We 
had no need, however, to show their game to the noble hounds, 
for the deer starting up as soon as they saw us, were at once 
caught sight of by both Bran and Oscar. Away went the deer, 
those which were the farthest off waited for their comrades to 
join them, and then all took the hill in a compact body, aud the 
do.s with an impatient whine darted off the instant they were 
released from their collars. 
The deer ran ina sloping direction up the hill, apparently 
not exerting themselves very much, but in reality getting over 
the ground at a very quick pace; the two dogs ran neck and 
neck, not exactly straight at the deer, but almost parallel, slop- 
ing a little, however, towards them, and gaining slowly, but still 
perceptibly, on their game. ‘This lasted for half a mile or so, 
when the degs had gained so much, that they were within forty 
yards of the deer. Nearer and nearer they approached, the hinds 
running in a close body, the stag now and then lagging behind 
