78 CHASE OF THE WILD RED DEER 



a man who attempted to secure him ; and on one 

 occasion, when I was out, the late Sir Arthur 

 Chichester, then the master of the hounds, had a 

 very narrow escape from serious injury. We had 

 brought to bay an old stag after a severe chase. 

 The deer posted himself on a high bank, from 

 which exalted position he set the hounds at defiance. 

 No rope was at hand, and whilst some of the party 

 were absent in quest of one, the master rode up 

 and tried to dislodge the deer from his vantage- 

 ground with his whip. I saw the animal gather 

 himself for a charge, and had just time to success- 

 fully warn Sir Arthur against the danger he was in. 

 He turned aside, and in a moment the deer leapt 

 from the bank, just missed the horse's head as it 

 was being turned away, and with tremendous force 

 plunged his antlers deep into the ground. 



Mr Scrope mentions an attack by a stag on the 

 carriage and horses of the Hon. Mr Fox Maule as 

 they were leaving Taymouth. So deliberate was 

 this attack, that although the postillion drove rapidly 

 past the deer, he rounded the carriage, stopped in 

 the middle of the road, and plunged his antlers into 

 one of the horses, which died about two hours after. 

 I know, from experience, that the stag, when he is 

 confined in parks, and has no companion of his own 



