THE BUCKS OF CHARBOROUGH 37 



the wooden frames. In seizing the deer, the attempt of the dog 

 was good, but he missed the ear, and caught but a slight hold 

 of the cheek; he and the deer then both fell together. His 

 hold on the cheek gave way, and in the scuffle he seized the deer 

 by the hinder-leg. This hold, not being the one he liked or was 

 used to, he let go, and in going at the deer he went against one 

 of the pouses, which momentary accident gave the buck the 

 chance of out-fighting, and he turned to bay. Odin was at him, 

 and when the buck charged he gave way, well knowing what to 

 do, but, alas, never noticed the iron fence behind him, and went, 

 still in front of the buck, sideways against it. The buck, not 

 recognising anything before him of larger or more solid sub- 

 stance than Odin, charged with all his might, and pierced the 

 ribs of the dog, with his brow antler, against the iron rails. I 

 saw the blood gush from Odin's mouth, and he fell for a moment, 

 but, when I cheered him, took up the running after the now 

 flying buck again. The buck rejoined a large herd, and I called 

 off the dog. I saw at once that I had little chance to win, and 

 ere the dog had had much time to recover, a fresh buck was 

 singled out from the herd. I doubted if my dog would be able 

 to run, but to my surprise he answered the call and gave chase, 

 but very lame in the shoulder. He reached the buck on the 

 plain, in view of the spectators, made a very good attempt at 

 him, but missed the head and fell. The buck instantly turned 

 to bay, and, on Odin's coming at him again, rolled the dog, who 

 had now lost all power, over on the plain. I kept moving 

 round the buck on Brock, with three parts of a mind to ride at 

 him, to see if I could take up his attention, or cast a line over 

 his head, if any one would bring one to me, so to give a chance 

 to the dog ; but as I saw that Odin was sinking and bleeding, 

 and that it would be utterly out of the question to win, having 

 four other bucks to catch, I then at once resigned. 



Having been beaten by one of the causes on which alone I 

 apprehended defeat, to amuse the spectators, I got a brace of 

 dogs and coursed, and took two or three bucks ; and each time 

 Brock never failed to lie down. After the coursing was over, 



