CHASE OF THE WILD RED DEER ,59 



in his face or ear, by which stain he is duly initiated 

 into the mysteries of stag-huntino-. and may rank 

 himself as a sportsman, Hke 



'Nepos of Laurentuni, 

 The hunter of the deer.' 



Then comes the ceremony of presenting the slots, 

 or forefeet, to those who have earned and cov(-i the 

 trophy; the 'head' is severed and borne home in 

 triumph to adorn the hall of the Master ; and when 

 the deer has been cleaned and the hounds have 

 been 'blooded,' secundtim artem, when those who 

 have assisted in the capture have been remunerated, 

 and directions have been given for the disposal 

 of the venison, to the best parts of which due 

 honour will be done, next week, at a right merry 

 meeting of all the gentry and farmers of the countr\ 

 side, the horses are sought for, the slackened girths 

 again drawn, and we seek the nearest ' hostel ' 

 whereat to refresh ourselves and 'grruel' our eood 

 steeds. And, as we wend our way to Exford, we 

 pick up many a straggler, who certainly would ha\e 

 seen the end of the run had he not thrown a shoe, 

 or met with a reverse in a bog, or encountered one 

 of the thousand contretemps which may befall the 

 sportsman, and which the ' outcast ' alleges it is his 

 special misfortune to be doomed to endure. 



