THE CHASE OF THE WILD DEER. 141 



necessary to notice, but certainly not the least im- 

 portant in providing sport for the field, is Miles, the 

 " harbourer." In summer or winter, rain or shine, 

 it is his duty to be on the ground before daylight. 

 Perched immovably in some convenient tree, he 

 watches the deer returning from their feeding-ground 

 in the dusk of the dawn. Having satisfied himself 

 as to the presence of such a deer as is required for 

 hunting, stag or hind, according to the season, he 

 proceeds to follow its " slot " to the wood where it 

 has taken up its abode for the day. Having ascer- 

 tained that the tracks lead into a certain covert, his 

 next step is to go round the same in order to make 

 sure that the deer has not emerged the other side. 

 If the wood be a very large one, it will even be 

 necessary for him to cross it, so that when the hunts- 

 man comes to play his part, he can show him where 

 to throw his " tufters " into covert so as to come 

 at once upon the deer. I was once an eye-witness 

 to an amusing scene between the huntsman and the 

 harbourer. The latter not Miles had reported a 

 warrantable deer in a certain covert, but the " tufters" 

 had quite failed to move him. At last the huntsman 

 expressed a doubt as to the accuracy of the harbouring. 

 " If your hounds can't find him, I can," was the 

 ready answer, and taking a few steps into the wood- 

 land the harbourer cracked his whip. At the sound, 

 and almost under his feet, a splendid " royal " sprang 

 up and crashed through the thicket. I ought, per- 

 haps, to explain that the term " tufters " is applied 

 to the three or four hounds with which the coverts 



