and Lochaber
axes. With these arms I found many of them armed for the hunting. As for
their attire, any man of what degree soever that comes amongst them,
must not disdain to wear it; for if they do, then they will disdain to
hunt, or willingly, to bring in their dogs: but if men be kind unto
them, and be in their habit; then are they conquered with kindness, and
the sport will be plentiful. This was the reason that I found so many
noblemen and gentlemen in those shapes. But to proceed to the hunting.

My good Lord of _Mar_ having put me into that shape,[23] I rode with him
from his house, where I saw the ruins of an old castle, called the
castle of _Kindroghit_ [Castletown]. It was built by King _Malcolm
Canmore_ (for a hunting house) who reigned in _Scotland_ when _Edward_
the Confessor, _Harold_, and Norman _William_ reigned in _England_: I
speak of it, because it was the last house that I saw in those parts;
for I was the space of twelve days after, before I saw either house,
corn field, or habitation for any creature, but deer, wild horses,
wolves, and such like creatures, which made me doubt that I should never
have seen a house again.[24]

Thus the first day we travelled eight miles, where there small cottages
built on purpose to lodge in, which they call Lonchards, I thank my good
Lord _Erskine_, he commanded that I should always be lodged in his
lodging, the kitchen being always on the side of a bank, many kettles
and pots boiling, and many spits turning and winding, with great variety
of cheer: as venison baked, sodden, roast, and stewed beef, mutton,
goats, kid, hares, fresh salmon, pigeons, hens, capons, chickens,
partridge, moor-coots, heath-cocks, capercailzies, and termagants
[ptarmigans]; good ale, sack, white, and claret, tent, (or Alicante)
with most potent _Aquavitae_.

All these, and more than these we had continually, in superfluous
abundance, caught by Falconers, Fowlers, Fishers, and brought by my
Lord's tenants and purveyors to victual our camp, which consisted of
fourteen or fifteen hundred men and horses; the manner of the hunting is
this: five or six hundred men do rise early in the morning, and they do
disperse themselves divers ways, and seven, eight, or ten miles compass,
they do bring or chase in the deer in many herds, (two, three, or four
hundred in a herd) to such or such a place, as the Nobleman shall
appoint them; then when day is come, the Lords and gentlemen of their
companies, d