CHASE OF THE WILD RED DEER j-j 



' At cautious distance lioarsely bayed ; ' 



and the deer, though he moved not from his place, 

 seemed ready to encounter any new foe whose 

 courage or impudence might induce him to try 

 conclusions with him. Alas, that I should relate it ! 

 The hounds were called off to a respectful distance, 

 but the deer's attention still engaged in front. A 

 rope was sent for, and brought from a farmhouse 

 two miles distant, and one sports)iian, more adven- 

 turous than the rest, climbed the oak (would that 

 he had hung in its branches by the hair of his head!) 

 and dropped a noose over the devoted head of the 

 victim. The deer was killed — and most unfairly 

 killed. Had he discovered the treachery, and 

 bolted from his position, I will not venture to say 

 what might have been the fate of more than one of 

 the bold sportsmen, who, unhorsed, and standing 

 around, waited the issue of the scheme. 



Mr Scrope relates, that the Duke of Atholl having 

 wounded a stag, and a deer-hound having been 

 stopped, had seized the animal by the ear ; the stag, 

 on being approached by his Grace, prepared to 

 attack him, but while in the act of doing so, was 

 shot by him through the forehead. 



I remember seeing a deer, when ' set up ' by 

 hounds, thrust his brow-ander through the hand of 



