The Sun.
London, England, 1834-10-16 00:00:00

A DAY'S DEER-STALKING.

The morn was—no, that is an old way of beginning
a story—the fact is, the night had been jovial, and
when three o'clock, the witching hour to the deer-
stalker, arrived, and the punctual man, Sandie, came
to awake his master, clad in his complete suit of gray
plaid (for be it known to the inexperienced, that the
stalker of deer depends greatly on making his person
resemble a stone as near as possible), with the perpe-
tual telescope slung on his shoulder, I, alas, was not
fit for the field, and, after much rubbing of eyes, gave
it up as a bad job, and despatched Sandie by himself
to search the ground, and see if anything was in sight.
It vas now past ten, when, with an expressive grin,
Sandie entered, and announced that four fine stags had
just lain down in Glen D—. "My horse I my
horse ! Richard's himself again !" No rubbing of
eyes now—the fumes of whisky punch had passed off-.
and a corresponding suit of gray, with sundry marks of
repair about the seat and knees, was instantly donned,
and in about an hour the master and man confronted
one another at the appointed place. " A hair of the
dog," cried I, and the attendant Highlander, whose
merit lay in doing as he was told, and wondering at
nothing, was beginning to rub up the shaggy coat of
a rough-looking deer-hound which he held, but was
stopped by a reproving look from Sandie, who well
knew his master's meaning, and proceeded in silence
to draw a cow's-horn from his pocket, and fill it with
" mountain dew" from a large flask, which hung as a
pendant to the afore-mentioned telescope, and as fre.
quent a companion. Having watched the fate of this,
he proceeded to perform the same office for himself,
and then replaced the horn, &c., in his pouch.
" Now to business," cried I ; " take me to the point
where you saw the deer." Out came the telescope,
and, lying on their bellies, all was silent, except
such occasional ejaculations, in whispers, as—" up
the wooded burn," " round that knowe," " nark
how the wind comes round the shoulder," "by
the cairn," " the brackens are high enough to
hide us," "in a line with the bright slap"—it
was settled ; Wellington never laid a more decided
plan. I— took up his double-barrelled rifle ; Sandie
shouldered a brace of double guns, loaded with ball,
and in about three hours and a half all the evolutions
were gone through. The plan was perfect, and per.
fectly executed. The day was nearly calm, and the
deer, after snuffing the wind, rising and showing
sundry signs of uneasiness, proceeded to trot off, but
too late—the spot was gained. At the first shot down
dropt the foremost. The effect of the second was not
seen at the moment ; but the second gun being instantly
handed up, ready cocked by the experienced Sandie, the
dead leaden sound and sudden wincing, proclaimed then
third wounded, though he still continued his bourse.,
The third gun was caught up, and by rur;ning fora
ward our sportsman got two more lon.if, slots at him,
and it was now clear that the best was safe. The
horn sounded for the dogs ; 1 tit the deer managed to.
keep about thirty yards, a-head of them for some time,,
till he came .tc.) a precipice, when setting his back
against a rock, he stood at bay. Sandie, however,
who, with imperturbable coolness, had been busy re—
loading the guns, now came up, and the beast was.
despatched and fell down a height of sixty feet, into
the glen below. " Pretty good work, eh ?"—" And
your second shot told too, Sir."—" Are you sure
then let's follow the track." The dogs were taken up
and brought back to the place, and after following the
track for about a quarter of a mile, it was found dead,.
shot through the heart (a royal stag, weighing 22
stone). There, then, were three lying dead ; and
how to get them home was the next question. The.
finest was, of course, the first oNect of attention.
The ponies were sent for ; and :whilst coming the three
were paunched, and two oc. them thatched (z. e. covered
up with heather), it being impossible to get them home
that night, a 8 was then near eight. With difficulty
the rentning stag was got on the back of the pony.
~ut all was not over yet ; for, on going up the steep
side of a burn, the weight of the stag overbalanced
the pony—down they both rolled into the middle of
the burn, and the horn ran a considerable way into
the poor beast's cheek. It being pitch dark, it was
some time before they could be both righted again ;
but the spirited little animal managed at last to get his
burden safe home. We must not omit that I—
himself got twice bogged on his return, and with some
difficulty extricated by Sandie ; but all such minor
casualties were forgotten in the triumph of the day.
The two others were brought home the next morning,
and the rest of the day was spent in skinning and tut.
ting up.

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REMOVAL OF LANCASHIRE AnsiisulezdrEceS.7---oofrarrhstialoio:
question is now set at rest. The next Assizes for the Hundrel
of West Derby will be held in Liverpool.
intends to take a house in St. Anne-street for the plume resi •
fdoernde
willof atlliseoJbuedgreems.oveTdhteo
Libusinessverpo for Liverpool,
the
until the town of Maw
ch ester shall make necessary arrangements for paying the ex•
penses of the Assize in that town ; the Government will no
suffer any expenses of removing the Assizes to be paid by dig
county.—Leeds Intelligencer.