THE RED DEER 
Elizabeth this hunting over the Border was occasionally permitted, but we 
read that “ towards the end of Sir John Foster’s government, when he 
grew very old and weake, they (Scottish nobles) took boldenesse upon it 
and without leave -asking would come into England, and hunt at their 
pleasure, and stay their owne time.” This abuse was soon checked by 
Sir Robert Carey who, after warning the trespassers, turned out the troops 
and caught the hunting gallants in midst of a foray. All the property of 
the poachers was destroyed, whilst a dozen were taken to Witherington 
Castle, where, after a short detention, they were released on promising 
not to repeat the offence — a promise they honourably kept. James I, who 
was himself a hunter, however, took umbrage at this treatment of his 
subjects, and complained to Queen Elizabeth, so there was ‘‘ no more of 
this businesse.” 
Scottish deer forests are often sarcastically referred to as the off- 
spring of a pernicious alliance between the nouveaux riches of England and 
America and the impecunious Highland lairds. That there is some truth 
in this cannot be denied, for at the present day there are many northern 
wastes recently afforested, which are entirely unsuitable to the habits 
of deer, and on which it is cruelty to keep them without artificial food. 
The demand for northern play -grounds may possibly exceed the supply 
in the piping times of peace, yet it is unfair to say that without such modern 
agencies the deer would have become well-nigh extinct, for, since the time 
there was any writing by educated Scotsmen, we have accounts of the 
protection that was afforded to deer in certain districts. Atholl, Mar, 
Monar, Glenartney, Jura, and many others are spoken of as established 
forests as early as the beginning of the sixteenth century, and Monro, 
High Dean of the Isles, who wrote in 1549, makes several references 
of a similar character to Skye, Scalpay, Raasay and Harris. 
Monro refers to Jura as a ‘‘ fyne forrest for deire,” whilst of Islay he 
says it is “ fertil, fruitful, and full of natural grassing, with many great 
deire, maney woods, fair games and hunting.” Mull, he says, possessed 
“ certain woods, many deire,” etc. Martin, too, writing in 1695, speaks 
of the Chase of Oservaul as ‘‘fifteen miles in compass,” whilst in Harris 
there were, as to-day, abundance of deer. Besides the above-mentioned, 
great parts of Ross and Sutherland were ancient deer forests, now split 
into many small ones, whilst Gaick, Ardverikie, Glenfeshie, the Black 
Mount, Glen Strathfarrer, and Braemar are all old resorts and preserves 
of deer. 
D 
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