SCIENCE OF THE WILDS, POETRY OF SPORT. 175 



Jtl^ own temper, more gentleness and greater limiia- 

 nity, w4iicli costs him nothing, lie himself may be a 

 great gainer by not only rendering the creatm^es 

 that belong to him, or are placed in his care, in- 

 finitely more valuable in the market, but, by gentle- 

 ness and good usage, he may win from them far 

 more and better service than can be brought out 

 by harsh, unappreciating, and foolish conduct. For 

 his own sake, man should be kind and gentle to 

 all things under him — things that can only implore 

 by their speaking eyes and humbleness of action. 

 When opposed in fight personally man to man, or 

 assailing marauding beasts, such as a lion, tiger, 

 boar, or wild bull at bay, then man, in liis unyield- 

 ing animosity, may be as resolutely combative as 

 he likes, for ever remembering that ivitJt- coiKjueat 

 pitij should ever come hand to hand. 



For myself, save when in following up my game 

 of sport in whatsoever form it may consist, with 

 that, perhaps, thoughtless zeal to which the hunter 

 and the shooter are so prone, if with the gun I 

 wound a harmless creature, my first idea is to spare 

 its life, and to take it home, to cure and tame it. 

 With the combat or the chase should end all harsher 

 feeliiifj ; and under tlie blessing of a sensation akin 



