CHASE OF THE WILD RED DEER 165 



redde haire, are commonly yong hartes. That sort 

 of coated hartes should not gready rejoice the 

 huntsman on horseback, because they stande up 

 long, and are of ver\- good breath.' * I remember 

 once when Captain West hunted the country, we 

 tried hard to kill a stag on the water under Barons 

 Down very late in the day. The deer was dead 

 beat but had sufficient strength left to baffle his 

 pursuers by stepping into the river ever and anon, 

 after a short turn or two in the wood by the side of 

 the stream, and this he did with so much per- 

 severance that we were obliored to leave him in 

 the water, secured from capture by his own adroit- 

 ness and the shades of niorht The eccentric Sam, 

 Captain West's huntsman, was dreadfully dis- 

 appointed at having to whip off the hounds (no 

 easy matter by the way), and turn his steps home- 

 ward with the two or three sportsmen, who still held 

 on with him. About a mile from the place where 

 we left our deer, on tuminor a comer of the road 

 where we emerged from the woods which over- 

 shadowed us on either side, we beheld the full 

 moon rising in all her g\ory just over a round- 

 topped hill. Sam stopped his jaded steed, and 

 striking his whip against his boot said with a voice 



* • Art of Venerie/ p. 5 r. 



