REMINISCENCES OF A HUNTSMAN. 85 



in, and, arming themselves with corn-shovels and 

 forks, defend the barn over the foot-board, or what- 

 soever they call the board that goes across the en- 

 trance when the doors are open. At all events, 

 among red coats, dark coats, and smock frocks, the 

 doors came open, and the countrymen slipped in and 

 armed themseh'es, when, as they had been joined by 

 others, the entrance to the barn was quite filled by 

 the opposing ranks of the besiegers and the be- 

 sieged. The first thing I saw, was the seizure of 

 a pitchfork by George Hawkins, who had stuck his 

 glass into his eye to look well for it, but when he 

 had made up his mind, in case of a blow, let it fall 

 from his eye again. His was no slight grasp, and in 

 vain the huge labourer tugged to get his weapon free. 

 The next thing that came out of the barn was a 

 labourer on to the handle of a fork, but dragged forth 

 on his back among the manure ; then a corn-shovel 

 or a spade was captured ; and then all the barn- 

 savages went down one way or the other together, and 

 we all went into the barn over them. During this 

 scuffle not a blow was struck ; I heard Mr. GuUey 

 keeping all inclination to unnecessary violence down ; 

 and the most extraordinary part of it is, that by 

 getting into a corner the deer had defended himself 

 from the hounds, and, though much bitten, we saved 

 his life. Tlie only blow struck throughout this 

 business was when one of the fellows hit at me, and 

 I returned it on his arm. The latter was admitted 

 in evidence, by the man's swearing to the fact, and 

 stating that the blow he so received in return, for a 

 period incapacitated him from work. Never was 

 tliere a more brutal attempt made by a set of savages 

 to get an unfortunate animal, wlio had fled into their 



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