THE GUN AT HOME AND ABROAD 
As MacDonnell predicted, the corrie was full of stags, some very fair 
ones too, and in particular a most desirable nine -pointer with good black 
horns and long yellow points; a head well worth getting. 
We spent nearly the whole morning trying to get at this beast, but as 
we advanced we were on all sides met with curling winds, and had to re- 
treat. At last MacDonnell suggested that I should climb the mountain 
and go to a certain pass on the Braulen side of the Monar march, and stop 
there whilst he moved the deer out of the Punchbowl. By noticing certain 
rocks I at last arrived at the place near the skyline, and had hardly got 
there when I saw deer coming uphill in all directions below me. After 
taking in the situation I saw that most of the stags would top the mountain 
several hundred yards to my right, so I raced there just in time to get a 
shot at a galloping stag that looked like a ten -pointer. Panting with the 
run, however, I missed, and the stag turned, stern on, and dived down 
the hill into Monar before I could get in another shot. Three other stags 
now came galloping up the hill and stood for a moment regarding me 
with fear and wonder. With some hesitation I let them alone, as not up 
to standard, and these soon disappeared in the mists below. Still others 
passed to my left up the pass I had abandoned, and I did not fire at any 
of them for the same reason. Then came a single switch -horn, a big fellow 
that puffed and blew like an apoplectic alderman, and he, too, went his 
way unsaluted, as his head was too bad to consider. I could easily have 
killed him; but before the day was over I was glad I had not done so, as 
the delay of gralloching would have spoilt the afternoon. 
After lunch we moved eastward to the best of the ground, and where 
MacDonnell predicted we might easily see something exceptional. 
Now, on the previous day, the stalkers had spied on this beat, and close 
to the Strath conan march, a great stag, the best that had been seen 
in the forest for many a long day. They had stalked him twice, but each 
time had moved him, until at last he went over the boundary into Strath - 
conan. It was now my good fortune to find this fine stag. 
Right in the middle of a sloping hill face, that was all one long marsh 
from top to bottom, was the great one, a fine royal, with about seventy 
hinds, and on either flank was a big stag with thirty or forty hinds. All these 
three master stags were roaring at each other, and chronic confusion was 
maintained by a big hummel, who dashed hither and thither in full pursuit 
of two smaller stags, for what reason, except uncontrolled jealousy, I 
could not see, as neither of the youngsters had any hinds with them. 
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