2O4 Incidents of Foreign Field Sport. 



throw us out by doubling ; but we stuck to its 

 haunches, for we were determined not to be beaten. 

 Our beasts began to stumble, and to show signs 

 that they could not last many more minutes, when 

 the pursued lay suddenly down. We, too, pulled 

 up, undoing the girths and turning our horses' 

 heads towards the breeze, which was blowing steadily 

 from the sea. In fact, all were "pumped." The 

 deer, with its tongue lolling out, breathed with the 

 greatest difficulty ; its beautiful large eyes were 

 filled with tears, and so dimmed as scarcely to be 

 visible, while we, its mortal foes, stood over it spear 

 in hand. All the agonies of death over and over 

 again it must have suffered, for it could hope for no 

 mercy from those who had hunted it so hard and 

 fast, and all but broken its heart. What our in- 

 tentions were I don't know. We thought the 

 deer unable to rise again, so were waiting for our 

 syces to come up. We might then have captured 

 it alive, or we might have converted it into venison. 

 I say I do not know what its fate might have been ; 

 but, before we decided upon anything, the deer 

 sprang to its feet, and with one reproachful glance 

 at us, plunged into the arm of the sea close by, 

 leaving us, like Lord Ullin " lamenting." It was 

 done so suddenly that we had not time, even if 

 we had had the intention, of using our weapons ; 

 but I am glad now that the noble creature escaped, 

 though I must own I was very sorry at the time. 

 Such are man's inconsistencies, before and after and 

 during the ardour of the chase. No real sportsman 

 would be guilty of an act of cruelty in cold blood. 

 Yet, when his passions are aroused, he is little 



