THE GUN AT HOME AND ABROAD 
gallop away down the hill amidst at least one hundred deer. Soon he fell 
back to the rear, but seemed to be going as strong as ever, and I became 
anxious. Some 300 yards away the whole mob disappeared into a hollow 
and I watched the string emerge on the other side with somewhat mixed 
feelings, for if the stag took the little hill with ease, he had not received 
a mortal blow. But what is that ? The last three hinds suddenly wheel, 
halt, and stand staring behind them into the hollow. That can only mean 
one thing: the big fellow is down; so away we run, to find the best 
in the forest kicking his legs in the direction of the Strathconan march 
he would never cross again. Our prize was a good royal just over 17 stone, 
and such a beast as one does not often kill. The pride of killing two royals 
in a week had a distinct fall before the evening was out. On the way home 
we tried to stalk a good nine -pointer ; I think the one we had seen in 
the morning, but were so careless as to move him, and in trying to hit 
him in the neck as he ran, at 150 yards, I missed handsomely, and returned 
home somewhat humbled in spirit. 
October 11. Once again on Deanie Beat, taking orders from myself, 
and living in hopes of seeing the big ten -pointer that had been with the 
large herd of deer from which I had killed the royal three days ago. We 
found several small lots of stags to-day, but it was mid-day before I 
discovered the large herd with the ten -pointer, somewhat high up on the 
west face of Deanie, and near to the sanctuary. They were in a bad place, 
and I had to retreat twice owing once to changing wind and once to out- 
lying beasts that commanded the situation from above. About 3.30 young 
Campbell and I were holding a consultation, being in some doubts how 
to proceed, when Nature again came to our assistance and moved the 
deer most successfully without frightening them. The Strathconan tops 
were wrapped in black clouds, and shortly snow began to fall, coming 
from the north. At first the deer scarcely noticed it, but as it increased 
in intensity they started, and began to move downhill to the shelter of 
the “ Rocks.” It was a pretty sight seeing the whole herd of some 150 deer 
running before the storm with ears laid back and tails tucked in. They 
never paused until they reached the broken ground and then curled round 
and took the shelter of the large boulders, all running under cover of a 
steep face. 
The deer were now crowded on a high place which commanded all 
views and the wind from every airt, except the peat hag flats below, 
came to them. On the extreme edge of this heathery ground, which was 
90 
