16 REMINISCENCES OF A HUNTSMAN. 



a dead halt, and facing about, he brought the rook 

 within about three feet of his nose. There he stood, 

 stamping at his foe, and panting ; the heaving of his 

 sides making the rook appear to pant too. The bell- 

 man having caught his wind, and seeing that his pur- 

 suer was small, resolved to charge ; and, for that pur- 

 pose, after the manner of his kind, he backed from 

 the rook to gain a little space, upon which, of course, 

 his enemy made a steady and corresponding advance. 

 This was more than any sheep's heart could stand ; 

 and away the bellman went again, till distress once 

 more brought him up. Several times was this ludi- 

 crous scene repeated ; and by our laughter, my brother 

 and myself were almost as tender as the farmer's 

 hunted mutton. Church service being nearly con- 

 cluded, we severed the wool from the feathers, and 

 tried to atone for our fun by attending the afternoon 

 lesson. This prank, and others like it, soon taught 

 the offending tenant, that if he shot he must sport in 

 a fair way, or he would find that " Scots played best 

 at the roughest game," and that his sharp practice 

 brought on him similar measures. Although we ob- 

 jected to it, we could not prevent his making use of a 

 right the law gave him. His use of it was bad enough, 

 under the circumstances, to bear, but the direct abuse 

 of it was beyond our patience. 



I once knew an instance, where a farmer was in 

 the habit of putting his foot into every pheasant and 

 partridge nest on his land, as well as on young lever- 

 ets before they were able to run. This man kept 

 a large dairy of many cows, besides a considerable 

 number of fat beasts. Among his kine he kept a large 

 black goat, who always accompanied them to pasture. 

 In vain was he warned not to continue his unfair 



