Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-14
Old stories of the Chase.


incidents In old Highland life with great
er fidelity than did DIR. Norman Macleod.
of ST. Columbia church. Glasgow. father
OF the present Moderator OF the General
Assembly His contributions 10 The
Teachdalre and the Cuairtear (of both OF
which he was EDITOR will ever remain.
not only Gaelic classics. but also faithful
records of the thoughts and aspira:icns
OF old Highland times.
Fifty years ago there appeared IN ire
Cuairtear a series of articles on the
chase in the Highlands The Supposed
writer was an Ga highlander forester.
but. doubtless, lie real author WAS tile
editor-Caraid nan Gaidheal. The forester
describes incidents witnessed by himself.
or records hunting events participated in
by others. His narrative is in Gaelic,
and Is accordingly unknown to the ave-
rage sportsman OF today. In these CIR
cumstances some glean'ngs from his
pages may be read with Interest at the
present time.
THE AGE or DEER.
IL Is difficult (writes our supposed High
land forester) TO speak with certainty
as TO the age of deer: but We nave I'M
deniable testimony that there were in the
old Glengarry forest stays upwaids OF
50 years OF age. Some maintain that deer
attain the age OF SIX ana even seven seven,
OF Glengarry, and Lord Dunmore, were
hunting at Torrna-corra, huge stag with
gigantic antlers darted out of the wood.
Glengarry shot him. FINDING IL had
to explain whose it was. That re-
nlied the forester, is the ear-mark Of
Eoghain MacIain-Oig.' Qtwen-son-of,
John-the-young) Even was a noted
forester. who had died 10 years pre-
viouslyi The antlers OF that stag 1--WE are
toid) were preserved in the old Glengarry
family ever afterwards.
rho age OF deer is thus described In an
old Gaelic saying;
Thrice the age of dog, the age OF
Thrice the age OF horse, the age Of man;
Thrice the age OF man. the age of deer;
Thrice the age of deer, the age OF the
Thrice the age OF the eagle. the age of the
We have incontrovertible testimony that
white hind lived In the forest of Loeb
Treig during the recollection OF three
-aenerations Every hunter In the dis
trict knew her wells. She was as white
ss snow. and so wafchful and ingenious
that no one ever got within gunshot OF
her. -, a.. IA h,,,ors ord
cennaehies in Badenoch and LochaDer
still 1885 speak OF this famous hind.
For fifty years a stag roamed over the
Monadh-Liath, in Badenoeh, ana a,heu
a brave man" Ito use the ldiom or our
Gaelic authOr lost the sleep OF the
night and the skin OF the feet In pursuit
of him." Ultimately, ne was "Ouuueu'
HHi ~ no, not killed. by a gentleman of the
name Of Macdonald. Thirty years, after
wards he was shot In Upper Badenoch,
and the bullet fired into him by Mac
donald was then found in his shoulder!
He could not have been under 40 years OF
age. ,-~,,>-r, r1ru,prror->rr,c
Deerhounds were common In Ossianic
times. as may be inferred from the fol-
,Thrs would Fingal choose his hound =
Eve like the. sloe. ear like leaf
Chest Ike garron,. hough like hook:
And the pith-joint far from the head"
Of old the Highlander hunted with his
hounds and killed his deer without , the
aid OF firearms or bows ana arrows. Tne
ia breed of deerhounds was scarce at the
time of our narrative. the number in Scot
| land being then estimated at ten or
taveive. The best and purest were two
| does-Busgar and Bran-kept at Oronsay
nv Captain Macneill, VI OF Colonsay,
and laird Of Gigha. They were de-
ecribed as superior to any other deer
hounds In the Kingdom.