CHASE OF THE WILD RED DEER 67 



1839. He was well known, and had frequendy 

 baffled all attempts made to capture him. He 

 resorted when found to his usual stratagem, which 

 he had often adopted before with success, of beating 

 down the covert, turning out younger deer, and 

 lying down in their beds ; on the day in question he 

 did this three several times, but his wily tricks were 

 known, and in each case the pack were stopped, and 

 brought back on him. Finding his tactics useless, 

 he broke covert and made an effort to reach Brendon 

 Hill towards Dunster, but failed, and came back for 

 Baron's Down, near Dulverton. After running- for 

 some time about the coverts he again broke for 

 Stockham, thence through Pixton Park, and down 

 to water on the Barle, at Perry Farm, above 

 Exbridge. Here in a deep hole, under cover of the 

 roots of an over-hanging elder-tree, he sank himself 

 in the river, leaving only his nose above the water. 

 His place of concealment was artfully chosen. The 

 pack must have been frequently round and close to 

 him, but he lay fast, and night coming on, the chase 

 was abandoned. Very shortly after the hounds had 

 left, a labouring man went down with a net to fish 

 the river, and at his first cast, poked the stag from 

 his hiding-place. The man was dragged across the 

 river, the deer, no doubt, having entangled one of 



