136 RED DEER. 



tliey find they cannot head the stag and 

 turn him. Once now and then a hound 

 overtaxes himself, or is buffeted too much 

 by the waves, and sinks, but not often. The 

 stags usually take to the sea in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Porlock Weir, and the boat- 

 men are always on the watch when they 

 know the hunt is up. 



Four or five fishermen are despatched 

 for the stag, and they row after him, 

 helping any hounds they may see get- 

 ting exhausted into the boat. They throw 

 a rope round the stag's antlers, and draw 

 him on board, and immediately tie his 

 legs. A stag seems an awkward animal to 

 get into a boat, but they manage it with- 

 out much difficulty, and bring him ashore 

 to be killed. The huntsman, as before 

 observed, always kills, that he may be sure 

 it is a warrantable deer of proper age ; 

 if it proves not to be mature the stag is 

 let go. Stags have been lost at sea, and 

 their bodies washed ashore at Cardiff or 



