84 CHASE OF THE WILD RED DEER 



It is, moreover, essential that the hounds should 

 be exercised regularly, so as to prevent ' riot ' when 

 the hunting begins. In many parts of the country 

 where the hills are almost perpendicular, and the 

 coverts deep and thick, it is extremely difficult to 

 get alongside of the hounds so as to ' read the 

 riot act ' when they are misbehaving themselves. 

 The great vice to which, on different occasions, 

 the pack has been addicted, is that of sheep-killing ; 

 and for this offence it was necessary to sentence 

 to death, and execute, no less than twelve couples 

 of the old staghounds in 1794. Every huntsman 

 knows how difficult it is to cure or to eradicate this 

 evil habit, when once it manifests itself. The halter 

 is, generally speaking, the sole effectual remedy ; 

 and I cannot help thinking that there is a similarity 

 between the scent of the wild little Exmoor sheep 

 and that of the deer, which renders it necessary 

 for the huntsman of staghounds in our country to 

 be more than usually cautious in watching his pack 

 narrowly, and checking the slightest tendency that 

 may be observed to the unhealthy indulgence of an 

 appetite for mutton. 



As deer are known to be gregarious, the unskilled 

 reader will ask, How is the choice of any particular 

 deer to be secured ? how is the huntsman to guard 



