STAG-HUNTING 265 



straight he would soon get to the bottom of his 

 horse, and probably get bogged at the finish. It 

 is wonderful how those sportsmen who hunt 

 regularly with this pack get about : they are 

 very seldom out of a run. 



Jumping fences is not one of the dangers you 

 have to encounter, but there are many other 

 things that will try the nerves of the boldest 

 horseman, such as galloping down precipitous hills, 

 crawling up steep banks, and going at top speed 

 over the roughest ground. You are told that 

 the horses are used to it and seldom fall, but as 

 you are not used to it, this information does not 

 give you much confidence. A good straight run 

 over the moor is a thing to be remembered, and 

 is an experience that any real sportsman will 

 enjoy, but there are many disappointments in 

 this form of hunting, and if you go down for 

 two or three days you are more than likely to 

 return with a very poor opinion of the celebrated 

 wild stag-hunting. 



To begin with, you may have great difficulty 

 in separating a warrantable stag from the rest of 

 the herd, and when that is accomplished he will 

 very likely run only from one wood to another 



