DRIVING RED-DEER. 239 



again they ineffectually struggled to get free. There 

 lay a gray hind, which the keeper told me had led them 

 many a mile at a rattling speed before she was taken 

 panting and distressed, terrified and bewildered, her 

 beautiful eyes seemed to plead for release. Not so the 

 fine young stag, who exerted all his strength to break 

 his bonds, and finding his endeavours fruitless, bellowed 

 loudly in hoarse complaining tones. Be it understood 

 that there was no cruelty in the treatment of the deer, 

 but one could not help feeling regret that, owing to 

 the determination to break up the herd, it was 

 necessary that they should be hunted from their 

 accustomed haunts and deprived of their liberty, in 

 order to carry out the decree which banishes these 

 lordly animals from the soil on which they have so 

 long flourished. 



Time was now afforded to notice some of the 

 sportsmen. There stood "Tom Mashiter" and his 

 brother William, both well known with the stag, fox- 

 hounds, and harriers of Essex, the former being a 

 landed proprietor who has participated in every sport 

 that this country could offer. I was reminded some 

 fifty-three years since, that I had shown them a good 

 run with the scratch pack with which, in our boyhood, 

 we were wont to try our 'prentice hands at hunting, in 

 and about the beautiful locality of Havering-atte- 

 Bower, the spot selected by Edward the Confessor 

 for a residence, where, however, history tells us his 

 devotions were so greatly disturbed by the singing 

 of countless nightingales that he prayed they might be 

 prevented disturbing' his meditations. History says 

 that his prayer was granted, and never again was the 

 "jug, jug, jug" of that sweet bird heard within the 



