British Deer and their Horns 
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of its time during the first ten years of its life in the big woods of Boblainey, Farley, and 
Eskadale, ranging at times as far west as Glenmoriston, and working out to the open ground 
of Guisachan in the rutting season, where it was several times seen. Such a stag was not 
likely to escape the notice of the vigilant foresters of the district, for they all knew him, and 
after he became Royal many a glass searched for him. I have reason to believe that he spent 
the summer of 1880 in the Guisachan woods, from which he would emerge in the evening 
and have a good time in the small corn-fields of Strath Glass ; but his sins in this direction 
became regarded almost as virtues by Lord Tweedmouth, who hoped to make his closer 
acquaintance later in the season. However, much to the chagrin of the Guisachan people. 
THE BALL-ROOM, BLAIR CASTLE 
he disappeared from there, causing, on the other hand, exceeding joy in the heart of Johnny 
Ross (the Beaufort stalker), for had he not spotted him quietly feeding in one ot his former 
favourite glades in Boblainey Wood ? Johnny, of course, informed his master, the late Lord 
Lovat, at once ; but Boblainey is a difficult wood to get a stag in, early in the season, so it 
was not until the 7th of October that the stalker both heard and saw the big stag roaring, 
and brought his master to the spot. Strange to say, Lord Lovat, who was one of the finest 
shots of his day, obtained an easy chance at him and, for some reason or other, missed clean. 
The stag bounded away, and was seen the same evening galloping as hard as his legs would 
carry him over the Eskadale march. Two days later Duncan MacLennan rushed into the 
house at Guisachan at mid-day and told Lord Tweedmouth that he had found the big stag 
with some hinds on the hill outside Farmer’s Wood. Hastily mounting the ponies, Lord 
Tweedmouth and his stalker were soon on the road, re-found the stag, at which an easy 
chance was obtained, and killed him. 
