282 MEMOIR OF 



more plunges in the same direction, the brave 

 beast must have come to its girths in another 

 half-minute ; when a ringing shout, such as no 

 one but Russell could have given, reached the 

 rider's ears : " Back for your life, man ; back, 

 I tell you ! " 



Instantly obeying the mandate, he managed 

 with a mighty effort to get the grey's head fairly 

 round ; then with a few^ frantic plunges the 

 gallant animal stood once more on sound ground. 



''Now then," said Russell, who had lingered 

 near him to see if he needed further help, 

 " the deer's going to Woolhanger ; and if you 

 stick to me, we shall probably catch them 

 again." 



He did stick to him like his shadow, and 

 caught the pack in the covers below ; when the 

 deer, hard pressed, broke away and took to 

 sea ; but being blanched by a boat, soon landed 

 again, and after a short chevy was finally run 

 into amid the surf and shingle of that loud- 

 sounding shore. 



The habits of a deer by night and at early 

 dawn were perhaps never better understood by 

 any man than by Jem Blackmore, harbourer to 

 the staghounds for so many years ; but it may 

 well be doubted if bv day, even he knew half as 

 much as Russell did about the shifts and 

 running of a deer when once roused and away. 

 The former, indeed, had details to study, the 



