134 AMID THE HIGH HILLS 
sighted for 70 yards. I was in an awful mess 
through crawling in burns and gutters after him, 
but I was very keen on getting him, and as 
an old chap once said to me, * When you have a 
difficult thing to do you must not be minding 
your clothes.' Well, I was pleased I got him as 
I was sure he could not live very long. I con- 
sidered what to do ; my first idea was to put him 
in some safe place, and come for him next day, so 
I took him to a burnside into a hollow and hid 
him, but before doing so I put a small chack with 
my knife above his brow antler, to know him if 
ever I saw him again, as I did not know who 
might be looking at me. I was in doubt whether 
I would take his head off or leave it there all 
night. I at once changed my mind, as it was so 
good a head I did not like leaving him out there 
all night. I cut his head off, giving him a 
long neck for being stuffed. That finished, I 
shouldered the Royal head, took him back five 
miles to the E Bothy, left him there that 
night, and took it two miles further to the lodge 
the next day, and to-day it hangs in the chief's 
mansion. The young chief was very glad to get 
it. The head was a very good Royal, thick 
horns, points equal and well-shaped. The distance 
