Deer Hunting in Cuba 



leave the timber. Such moving about often turns 

 back the deer, which prefers to take its chances 

 with the hounds rather than with the hunters. 

 However, after being turned back several times, a 

 moment comes when the deer bounds into the open- 

 ing. If it is a young one, and has not been chased 

 before, it is likely to pause for a few seconds at 

 the edge of the clearing, with ears thrown forward, 

 tail erect, motionless as a statue, not a muscle 

 quivering, while it listens to the distant music of 

 the hounds. It is but an instant, however, before 

 sinewy springs send it bounding away across the 

 clearing like an animated ball, to disappear into the 

 adjoining jungle. As it vanishes from sight, its 

 twinkling tail waves defiance to the hunter who 

 failed to take advantage of the momentary pause 

 and lost the chance to bring the deer to earth. Few 

 hunters, shooting from horseback, have the skill 

 required to hit a running quarry. Thoroughly 

 warmed, and really alarmed, the deer now makes 

 for water, the hounds, giving tongue at every 

 stride, hard upon his trail. Unable to throw them 

 off, he soon begins to run from patch to patch of 

 cane and through the clearings. The hunters have 

 scattered and follow as best they can, guided by 

 the loud mouthing of the hounds and an occasional 

 glimpse of the deer, which, circling around, grad- 



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