CHASE OF THE WILD RED DEER 133 



as far as possible, the deep ground. I know nothing 

 that frightens strange horses so much as being 

 ' bogged.' A horse bred on the moor will struggle 

 through the morass, or, when down, (lap out of it, 

 like a seal on sand, but a steed not used to the 

 country, when for the first time he gets entangled in 

 a bog. is, generally speaking, unnerved and useless 

 for the rest of the day. There is a peculiar art 

 which horses bred on the moor have of crossing 

 deep ground. They gather their legs under them, 

 and 



' With short and springing footsteps \nss 

 The trembUng bog and false morass ; ' 



while your up-country thoroughbred attempts to 

 clear the ground with long lashing strides, and soon 

 becomes inextricably fixed in the treacherous quag- 

 mire. 



Beyond Exmoor and its purlieus, to the north, 

 deer are still to be found. Even of late years I 

 have seen many a fine stag roused in the Ouantocks, 

 where they were preserved by Lord Taunton, Mr 

 Esdaile of Cothelston, Mr Carew, and other landed 

 proprietors. I trust that the efforts of these gentle- 

 men will again be directed to the preservation of 

 the noble animal, the number of which has of late 

 years sadly diminished. Surely the present Master 



