CHAP.THIRTY-FOUR DEERHOUNDS 



With one affrighted glance behind him, away went the 

 stag.at first along the top of the slope,as if anxious to keep 

 above the dogs ; but finding himself hard pressed, he turn- 

 ed his head down the hill, and the race began. Down they 

 went, the dogs close on the stag. Now and then they tried 

 to spring on him, but his strength and quickness always 

 enabled him either to shake them off or to elude them; 

 indeed after running for some distance he seemed rather 

 to gain on the dogs than to lose ground. Finding this, they 

 seemed more intent upon trying to tire him out than to seize 

 him, and galloped along, keeping somewhat above him, as 

 if to drive him into the burn, where he would come to bay, 

 The stag tried again to ascend the slope, but could not 

 manage it; his wind began to fail, and he turned straight 

 down, gaining a little on the dogs. Crossing some rather 

 wet ground they were again up tohim,and he onlyescaped 

 being pulled down by his great strength, which enabled 

 him to shake off the hounds more than once. It was clear 

 that his object was now to gain the burn. AH three were 

 evidently beginning to fail, as the chace had already lasted 

 some time. 



Malcolm and I had now reached the burn also, havinof 

 made for it in a straightline assoonasthe dogs were slipped. 

 As luck would have it, deer and hounds all passed us down 

 the stream, the dogs panting, and the deer with his tongue 

 hanging out and blowing like a porpoise. He soon came to 

 bay, and the dogs were glad to get a rest, and lying down 

 in the water, opposite his head, they alternately bayed at 

 him, and rolled in the stream to cool themselves. We came 

 up, and the deer immediately broke his bay, and rushing 

 447 



