CHASE OF THE WILD RED DEER 79 



breed with him, is a most dangerous customer, and 

 would advise those who desire to keep the red deer, 

 never to do so unless they have a herd of them. 



When quite a lad, I remember a stag in the park 

 at Powderham in Devonshire, the seat of the Earl 

 of Devon, that was a terror to all the boys and 

 girls who occasionally passed through the park ; and 

 more than once have I climbed a tree, and remained 

 there for several hours in order to escape him. I 

 also witnessed his death, after a most melancholy 

 occurrence, which was as follows : — 



Fanny Tucker, a pensioner of the then Lord 

 Courtenay, was daily employed to carry corn across 

 the park to an aviary. 'Old Dick,' for by that 

 name was the deer known, knew her time of passing 

 so well, that he almost always placed himself in her 

 track, and received a handful of corn as she went 

 along. It happened one day that the ill-fated 

 woman was earlier than usual, and the deer was 

 not at his post, but on her way back he made his 

 appearance. Alas ! she had reserved no corn for 

 Old Dick, and enraged at this, he pierced her 

 through with his horns and killed her on the spot. 

 Lord Courtenay, of course, had the deer at once 

 destroyed. In the parish register of deaths, the 

 reader will find the following entry: — '1803, Dec. 



