few seconds. The tension had grown extreme, when there was a momentary lift in the
gloom, and I made out the dim forms o f the deer just as a big hind, which I had not
noticed, “ bruached ” loudly within 20 yards o f us. The outline o f the stag was barely
visible when, after carefully aiming, I pressed the trigger, knowing that a moment later there
would be no second chance. A t the shot the deer at once disappeared, but I felt sure I had
hit him, and on following the tracks for some 50 yards, there he lay as dead as a door-nail.
Weight 13 stone 6 lbs. ; a wild head o f 10 points, thin and evidently that of a deer on the
decline. In the evening M'Coll chaffed me for shooting what he called his old friend;
but M ‘Leish was jubilant, as he said that M ‘Coll had often tried, but never managed even
to stalk that particular stag.
Friday, 6th October.— The most tremendous tramp I think I ever. had. We started at
8.30, and were not home till 9 at night, being practically on the move the whole day, for
the weather was too cold even to sit down to lunch. Went with M ‘Coll all over his high
ground to the top o f Stob-a-na-nalaphnh (the peak o f the wild boar). We looked into
Corrie Hurich, where the stags were roaring like cattle in a Western corral. Many stags
too were on our own ground, but hardly one o f them was stationary for any length of . time,
the bitter wind, the snow and the hail showers keeping every beast on the move. At
one time we ran nearly two miles to try and cut off a travelling stag, but without success.
Arrived home pretty well done up, but thoroughly enjoyed my day on the whole, as the
scenery on Glashven and the peak with the unpronounceable name were simply superb.
Saturday I spent in walking home to Forest Lodge, and as one o f the home beats
was vacant on the Monday, mine host kindly asked me to stop and stalk it.
Monday, 9th October.— The sort o f day a stalker often dreams of, but seldom experiences.
A touch of frost, a heavenly blue sky, and a glorious view everywhere. To the top o f
Ben T o ig with Donald M'Intyre, the head stalker, a most charming companion. I saw
more deer to-day than I think I ever saw before. They were literally everywhere. We
made three distinct stalks without a shot, and found ourselves at 3 o’clock on the top o f
Ben Toig. On the way up the hill we sprang a good stag, which had been lying behind a
rock ; he ran about 100 yards and then stood “ at gaze,” and as I could neither sit nor lie
down, I had to take him from the shoulder. Result, a handsome mis^ This, however,-
did not discourage us, as we shortly spied from the summit o f Ben T o ig a magnificent stag
lying in the midst o f his harem, far away beneath our position. On a hillock facing him
were some fifteen other stags scattered about, roaring occasionally, and evidently anxious
to annex any o f the hinds they might be able to cut out and drive off. The big stag, which
could not hav&'^been much less than an 18-stone beast, gave us a lo t . o f trouble. We
made three stalks after him, but he defeated us every time ; and as it was then getting
late, M'Intyre begged me to take an old dark-coloured stag that was standing some 60
yards off. Just as I got into position he moved down the hill, and I fired as he was going
out of sight— a broadside shot. On running forward he was nowhere to be seen, but just
as I was sitting down against a rock three others, fair beasts, came into view and stood at
about 200. yards’ distance down hill. Thinking stag No. 1 was missed, M ‘Intyre told me to
fire at the last o f the three, and I did so. Much to my delight, he staggered forward .and
rolled over dead. M y companion, who had left me, now commenced searching amongst
the rocks i n R n f ^ l Us, apd presehl|§|beckoned Me to h im , r f t B i j com in g up I found him
standinggsvet the dead bod y o f the first stag at w h ich I had fired NoSjfi— w e tght 13 stone,
fa ir head ; 2 w e ig h t 12 stone, poor head, ArliMip^ended a most1 enjoyable w e e k
Things are not, however, too often couleur de rose with the deer-stalker. Much more
frequently the elements are against him, and he has t^ponsdle himself as well as he can with
the memory o f brighter days:;; . A week like the followrrl®i much more S tm o i t .
I had been |||lkiag. for a fortnight}: |n t*j> N o r th em « «H B w ith fair success. ®he
weather had been all that could be ;des|fe:|ri6ut good stags were scarce. N a p ja lly on S n g
;;||> Bladk Mount I looked forward to a fii*i=rate w e e k B ; i| was to stalk on the home beats',
which are by far tb|jfbest; but the day I arrived.'at Forest Lodge f t : weather broke, and
we had a thorough dos|||f W est Coast rath.
13^ September 1 loiig day with Grant on Benzie, 'Lots o f stags, but wind
most, unfavourable. We kept moving deer nearly all day. In the a f t e i h « I gotpfdifficult
shance at g."frightened stag, having to aim at h i n e c l jo r fear o f h a u n c h in ^ fe u The
distanceowas. a bit too great, ah.d I missed? Saw a very fin^stag late in the evening, but
twilight coining on, we had M le a v e him.
v/Jh September. -tYo Loch llaa.lists with Buchanan. Wind and rain alike bad for
stalking. . About Y p m . fo u n d i l splendid lot o f stags, a m M » them two carrying & o d
heads, one a Rej||i§jpi but, to our annoyance, they kept moving away from us, and then, just
■ as''We were getting within shot, a perfect de lugjjgf rain came,%'own, and I h a d lg ru e l piece
isif bad luck. A bigSstag w ip jtan d in g S e a r at about fy d yardSt. wiShsa small one ajlngside
III him. I was obliged to shoot quickly, as they had seen us, and-at the very moment that
I pressed the trigger the littlestag——aelseast.'of 10 stonh^Started forward,- covered the 1 arg.er
animal, and received my bullet. : So. quick ly‘did it happen that I had no time to Stop the
pressurefcn the trigger, and we trudged home in a very .different frame o f mind from that
in which we started.
■. September.— Another ! | | y !'‘With Grant on Benzie. No luck, no shot, but continuous
raipand mist.
i bih September.— Pouring cats and dogs# jgtidketft-'qllpaper, and did a few sketches!
in the morniirg. In the evening went'«at with Maxton Graham and shot a few t^^ S» io iS
lyth September. Another beast a da y! Backwards and forwards.on Loch Baa flats,
without a particle o f success.
The next day was Saturday, and being my last, tile fickle |gddess was unusually k i n S
and being a day o f exceptional interest, perhaps the gentle reader wiljfplfow it through
the next chapter.
j . I