A JAPANESE MEDLEY 141 



was expelled ; the captives, led by the first stag, 

 trotted up to the end of the enclosure and had a 

 look at the high priest. Evidently the inspection 

 did not please them, for the next second they all 

 swung to the right-about and came tearing down 

 below us. Perhaps being sacred deer there was 

 an occult chord of sympathy between them and 

 the high priest which enabled the latter to direct 

 their movements by some strange and hypnotic sug- 

 gestion ; anyway they turned and the fun began. 



The big stags were, of course, last ; they always 

 are, as many a stalker knows to his sorrow. There 

 was a confused scuffle, one or two record jumps, a 

 frantic brandishing of nets, and the deer were 

 through. One small stag was nearly caught. He 

 broke away with a net entangling his horns and 

 bits of broken bamboo tying him up behind. The 

 ensuing exhibition of buck jumps was remarkable. 



Sir Walter Gilbey pranced up and down brandish- 

 ing his stick and counting the casualties. None 

 being apparent, he signalled to the high priest, 

 who switched on the sacred power which brought 

 the deer back with a rush. This time the luck was 

 better. Two of the blue-clad coolies fell together 

 upon one animal and after a short but heated 

 struggle bore him to the ground, amidst enthusiastic 

 applause, almost at our feet. 



I really believe that this was courteously arranged 

 so that we might have a good view of the ceremony. 

 Sir Walter rushed up, attended by an aged man armed 



