HUNTING AMONG THE ANCIENTS. 



il 



A HERD OF DEER. 



breath of wind they would whirl round. Those who kept /he 

 stands then withdrew, and hid themselves in the next covert. 

 Then the chief ranger entering within the line, with hounds to 

 draw after the herd, roused the game with their cry ; which, fly- 

 ing towards the line, were turned off, and still gazing on the shak- 

 ing and shining feathers, wandered about as if kept in with a 

 real wall. The ranger still pursued, and calling every person 

 by name as he passed by their stand, commanded him to shooi 

 the first, thiid, or sixth, as he pleased : and if any of them missed 

 or singled out another than that assigned him, it was counted a 

 grievous disgrace. By such means, as they passed by the several 

 stations, the whole herd was killed by the several hands. 



Hunting formed the chief employment of the ancient Germans, 

 and probably of the Britons also, when not engaged in war. 

 Ancient historians tell us, that this was the case, even so late as 

 the third century, with those unconquered Britons who liver 1 

 beyond Adrian's wall ; nay, that they subsisted chiefly by th 

 prey that they took in this way. The great attachment shown bj 

 all the Celtic nations to hunting, however, proceeded most pro 

 bably from its being a kind of apprenticeship to war. By it thei/ 

 acquired that courage, strength, swiftness, and dexterity iii 



