196 CHASE OF THE WILD RED DEER 



He must, therefore, have travelled that distance in 

 the course of the previous night.' See an account of 

 this in the Appendix.* 



It is almost unnecessary to say a word with refer- 

 ence to the proverbial agility of the deer. ' Nimrod ' 

 thus adverts to a remarkable leap taken by a hind 

 under difficulties, at the time when the late Lord 

 Fortescue was the Master of the old staohounds. 

 ' I was shown,' he says, 'a leap which a hind had 

 taken last season, before the pack, when close at her 

 haunches, after a long run, and not more than ten 

 minutes before she sank before them. What makes 

 it more extraordinary is, that on being paunched, a 

 calf was taken from her almost able to stand. The 

 fence was a stone wall, with a rail on the top of it 

 not to be broken ; and your readers may judge of 

 the height by the following statement, having had no 

 other means of measuring it. My own height is 

 five feet nine inches, the horse I was upon is fifteen 

 hands two inches, the top of the fence was upwards 

 of two feet above the crown of my hat, and it was 

 up a steep bank that she approached it.'t 



This leap was taken at Castle Hill, and is well 

 remembered by many sportsmen still living. 



* 1 78 1, October 3rd. 



^ Sporting Magazine, Oct. 1824, p. 42. 



