320 ANIMALS OF THE 



natural tranquillity. But this calm is of short 

 duration, for his inveterate pursuers slowly and 

 securely trace him along, and he once more hears 

 the approaching destruction from behind. He 

 again, therefore, renews his efforts to escape, 

 and again leaves his pursuers at almost the for- 

 mer distance ; but this second effort makes him 

 more feeble than before, and when they come up 

 a second time, he is unable to outstrip them with 

 equal velocity. The poor animal now, therefore, 

 is obliged to have recourse to all his little arts of 

 escape, which sometimes, though but seldom, 

 avail him. In proportion as his strength fails 

 him, the ardour of his pursuers is inflamed ; he 

 tracks more heavily on the ground, and this in- 

 creasing the strength of the scent, redoubles the 

 cries of the hounds, and enforces their speed. It 

 is then that the stag seeks refuge among the herd, 

 and tries every artifice to put off some other head 

 for his own. Sometimes he will send forth some 

 little deer in his stead, in the mean time lying 

 close himself that the hounds may overshoot him. 

 He will break into one thicket after another to 

 find deer, rousing them, gathering them together, 

 and endeavouring to put them upon the tracks he 

 has made. His old companions, however, with 

 a true spirit of ingratitude, now all forsake and 

 shun him with the most watchful industry, leav- 

 ing the unhappy creature to take his fate by him- 

 self. Thus abandoned of his fellows, he again 

 tries other arts, by doubling and crossing in some 

 hard-beaten highway, where the scent is least per- 

 ceivable. He now also runs against the wind, not 



