46. Adown. An instance of a purely poetical word, not admissible in
prose.
49. Chase. Here put for those engaged in the chase; as in 101 and 171,
below. One of its regular meanings is the OBJECT of the chase, or the
animal pursued.
53. Uam-Var. "Ua-Var, as the name is pronounced, or more properly
Uaigh-mor, is a mountain to the north-east of the village of Callander,
in Menteith, deriving its name, which signifies the great den, or
cavern, from a sort of retreat among the rocks on the south side, said,
by tradition, to have been the abode of a giant. In latter times, it was
the refuge of robbers and banditti, who have been only extirpated within
these forty or fifty years. Strictly speaking, this stronghold is not a
cave, as the name would imply, but a sort of small enclosure, or recess,
surrounded with large rocks and open above head. It may have been
originally designed as a toil for deer, who might get in from the
outside, but would find it difficult to return. This opinion prevails
among the old sportsmen and deer-stalkers in the neighborhood" (Scott).
54. Yelled. Note the emphatic force of the inversion, as in 59 below.
Cf. 38 above.
Opening. That is, barking on view or scent of the game; a hunting term.
Cf. Shakespeare, M. W. iv. 2. 209: "If I bark out thus upon no trail
never trust me when I open again."
The description of the echo which follows is very spirited.
66. Cairn. Literally, a heap of stones; here put poetically for the
rocky point which the falcon takes as a look-out.