Delaware gazette and state journal., 1899-10-26
SPORT IN THE lEBRIDES.
Chambers journal.

which yields TO none that can be found
in the kingdom In its possibilities of
adventure and its picturesqueness.
Stalking wild goats requires the same
hunting craft as Devastating, and the
ground to be trayersed before a salts
factory chance OF shot can be OBJ
tanned is quite as difficult and admits
as many thrilling episodes as the
mountain heights on which the ibex
and the chamois hold their court. So
highly did wild goat shooting appeal
to Colquhoun, the we'll known author
of The Moor and the Loeb, that he
seriously suggested the introduction in
suitable places Of a stock of wild goats.
which he thought would, after few
years, offer sport quite equal to the
chase of the red deer. 1t has been my
great good fortune to be allowed to
stalk some of the presently existing wild
goats, and it may be worth while to
record some Of my impressions.
On the Atlantic side of one of the
largest of the Hebrides great cliffs rear
themselves from the sea to a height of
nigh nine hundred feet, and at their
base are gigantic masses of debris from
natures Workshop, piled in rude con
fusion. Vegetation is there of the
widest. The iron belt Of black reefs,
washed by the tide, is rich in groves of
seaweed, which float partly submerged.
ind-twisted bushes and patches of
dense brake cling to the rocks, and
thrust their twining roots into erevlce
and cleft. On the bare scaurs tufts of
heather have settled themselves in pur-
pie beauty, emigrants from the uplands
far above; and in one or two sheltered
spots there are even some small thickets
of hardy trees. Seen from distance
seaward, the great expanse of cliffs
stretching away for miles appears to
present fiat and unbroken face: but
when wind and waves permit landing
to, be made the whole eoast-line shows
infinitely varied features-some in sun.
shine, some in -preoipice, cavern,
gorge, valley, silvery pool, and roaring
torrent. 1t is on this primeval portion
of the island that the goats dwell in
the midst of wilderness where the
powers of nature reign supreme, un-
trammelled by any of the evidences of
mans arts.
The herds are really wild, and come
of wild ancestry. For uncounted
generations they have maintained
themselves in Perfect freedom, and
have not sullied their blood by any
mixture of domesticated race. 1t is
possible that in the distant past they
may have come from a stock which
lived among the dwellings, of man; but
they have now occupied their rocky fast
nesses for SO long that they may take
rank as true fera nature.
Ii campaign against. these wild
goats is to be undertaken, the attack
sannot be commenced from the land
ward side. 1t would be almost i'm
possible to descend the beetling cliff;
and the enterprise, if attempted, would
require an undue length of time, besides
the assistance of ropes and all the
paraphernalia of alpine climbing. So
q sea passage must be made: and it is
not on every day of the year that a boat
can brave the rollers Of the Atlantic or
approach the surf beaten reefs, SO that
landingS< can be effected. | was
fortunate, however; and, though the
day was cloddy@ith occasional showers,
ana light wreaths,of mist foated round
the lofty crests of the various Bens that
look down upon the sea-loch, there was
not much sea running. and we pushed
oil from the primitive little pier with
every hope of u not too eventful voyage.
Our crew consisted Of the stalker, a
couple of boatinen and myself; and,
though ! knew something Of sport in
various lands, was now content to
conduct myself rs neophyte, and to
oDey the orders of the stalker, who
Was master of the situation. A fow
strokes with the oars cleared our little
craft from the shore, the mast was
stepped. and the brown lugsail run I'M.
There was sudden heave rs the boat
heeled over and plunged into an ad-
Vanclne wave, covering US with a
f,f A e.. 4. I
kept on the sheet, and watchful eve
looked for the sudden squall which
might be expected to whistle down
each glen that broke the mass of sur
rounding mountains More than once
the sheet was perforce let 60, and we
evaded the power Of the keen blast
that cut the spindrift from tho crested
waves. Sea-bird5 swooned and hovered
round US, guillemots dived at our
bows, and groups of oyster -catchers
rose from the rocky islots that we
passed. piping their shrill cry: keen
clear keep cear!''
At last we approached the mouth Of
the long seal loch and rounded the
black headland. The open Atlantic seas
swept down large and threatening: hut
the 6reeze was steady, and our little
boat rode over them easily. We nut
our helm up, and pushed on within half
a mile of the great cliffs that frowned
above the island shore. We had Tho
haunts of the wild goats before US, and
IN that wide panorama we had to
single out our game before we could
consider how to attack it, Glasses were
uncased, and we carefully scanned the
lower cliffs and piles of rock, to detect
II possible, the sought-for herd: and
TINS was no easy matter, for, as is the
case with all wild animals, the color OF
the goats blends almost indlstinguish
ably with that Of their natural sur
roundings. If they were in the most
exposed situation, and remained ner
feotly steady, it would require very
trained eye and very powerful stalk
ing-glass to note their presence but the
slightest motion attracts attention and
betrays them, SO for the moment we con-
fined ourselves to seeking for some NOV
ing object Suddenly caught glimpse
of some living thing passing from the
shelter of one great boulder to that Of
another. "What is that, Doueal?'' |
asked, rather proud in thinking my
self the first to see game. But / was
promptly snubbed. That iss three deer
/ haf seen them for some time
They wass lying near that bit wood. .
They proved to be young stao
and a couple of binds that had strayed
from the deer forest, possibly in search
of some seaware. As they came more
clearly into view, moving towards the
airy track that would lead them to the
distant pass, very tiny they looked in
the midst of their stupendous environ
ment We stood closer in to the rocks,