THE HIGHLANDS OF THE SWEDISH DIVIDE. 245 
rising from short heather : then followed the main lot. 
At first they were wild enough ; but by lining-out in a 
crescent, the guns closing in forward while the beaters 
closed the rear, we soon had them demoralized. Sur¬ 
rounding the birds thus in each patch of dwarf-birch, 
we took them coming out in face —en pico, as the 
Spanish say—and in less than forty-five minutes, by 
this simple plan of half-mooning, had two-and-twenty 
willow-grouse and a blue hare in the bag, when “ cease 
firing ” became imperative as time pressed and but four 
cartridges remained. It was short work and sharp 
while it lasted : moreover, it established our repute as 
marksmen with our simple hunters. This initial repute 
is of the utmost value in foreign shooting, encouraging 
ones jagers, who then know their hard work will not 
be wasted. They will then find excuses for one should 
even an inexcusable miss occur later. To have to make 
excuses for one’s self is worse than useless. 
It was amusing to see our friends’ undisguised 
amazement at a few smart, incoming “ doubles.” “ Oh, 
meget slem dag for ryper ! ” = A real bad day for the 
grouse ! repeated Johannes as he gathered them in 
threes and fours. 
The final stages of that day’s journey were completed 
in silence. Ridge beyond ridge of sterile fjeld, miles of 
deep forest—weary men mechanically tramping forward. 
Hardly an ounce of going-power remained when at 
last, about 9 p.m., we lit a mighty bonfire on the 
Muru-sjoen as a signal to send the boat. 
Our new quarters commanded one main and one 
minor forest-tract, mostly lying on steep acclivities, but 
broadening out westwards into a moory plateau which 
