Page:Blackwood's Magazine volume 150.djvu/275
Even stronger are the views of Mr Munro, yr. of Lindertis, whose enthusiasm for climbing and whose knowledge of Scottish mountains are unequalled. Writing from the island of Rum, under date February 5, 1891, he says:—
“I am very keen about hill-climbing, and have wandered through most of the Highlands of Scotland and over all the biggest hills at different seasons of the year, and I can truly say that I have invariably found proprietors and tenants alike civil and liberal. At this moment I am stopping at a lodge and climbing the hills of this island through the courtesy of the proprietor, with whom I am not personally acquainted. On more than one occasion I have been invited by proprietors to come up and spend the night at their houses instead of the inn, even when they did not know my name; and I have never experienced anything but civility and consideration both from the lairds themselves and from their keepers, stalkers, and shepherds, who are always most ready to give hospitality, often evidently without any expectation of remuneration. My views and experiences are, I believe, shared by most climbing men, and from a climber’s point of view alone I look upon legislation on the subject as not only uncalled for but actually objectionable.”
As this letter proves, the man who shows due regard for the conditions of sport can enjoy the country to the full without detriment to the enjoyment of others, and finds himself welcomed with cordiality. On the other hand, the man who insists on traversing the hills in ignorance or disregard of those conditions, will probably, for the sake of a few minutes’ pleasure, inflict serious and most annoying injury on the pleasure of others. By a glimpse of his figure outlined on the sky-line a mile off, he may spoil a stalk that has lasted a whole day. With a little luck he may give his wind to every deer on a mountain-face, and send a whole herd off the forest for a week. Considering the shortness of the stalking season, and the fact that every stag killed is reckoned to cost the proprietor at least £50, it can hardly be wondered that such men do not find themselves encouraged. The case is thus totally different from a grouse-moor, where the interference with sport can be only temporary and trifling; but even in deer-forests the claims of the public and of sportsmen are not irreconcilable, provided reasonableness and good-feeling exist on both sides.
For the most part, such relations exist; but there are, of course, exceptions, and it is to be feared that the amount of unreasonable action of this kind has increased of late years with the increasing fashion for deer-forests, and the gradual shutting up of larger and larger tracts for this purpose. It is not proprietors or residents whose conduct is to be complained of; but year by year more forests are let to strangers and Englishmen, to men who know nothing of the country or of their neighbours, and who care nothing for the public opinion of the district or of Scotland. They do not know what amount of exclusion is reasonable. They seek to shut their forests against every one, and for the whole year. When on the spot, they make difficulties in granting an insignificant permission; and when away, leave general orders for exclusion with their keepers. Fortunately, keepers are often more reasonable than their masters, or the difficulty would be much more acute. Of these an