38 DAYS OF DEER-STALKING. 



leged to enjoy their ease, and impose the duty of keeping 

 guard upon the hinds and upon their juniors. In the per- 

 formance of this task, the hinds are always the most 

 vigilant, and when deer are driven, they almost always 

 take the lead. When, however, the herd is strongly beset 

 on. all sides, and great boldness and decision are required,, 

 you shall see the master hart come forward courageously, 

 like a great leader as he is, and, with his confiding band, 

 force his way through all obstacles. In ordinary cases, 

 however, he is of a most ungallant and selfish disposition ; 

 for, when he apprehends danger from the rifle, he will 

 rake away the hinds with his horns, and get in the midst 

 of them, keeping his antlers as low as possible. 



There is no animal more shy or solitary by nature than 

 the red deer. He takes the note of alarm from every living- 

 thing on the moor, all seem to be his sentinels. The sud- 

 den start of any animal, the springing of a moor-fowl, the 

 complaining note of a plover, or of the smallest bird in dis- 

 tress, will set him off in an instant. He is always most 

 timid when he does not see his adversary, for then he 

 suspects an ambush. If, on the contrary, he has him full 

 in view, he is as cool and circumspect as possible ; he then 

 watches him most acutely, endeavours to discover his in- 

 tention, and takes the best possible mode to defeat it. In 

 this case he is never in a hurry or confused, but repeatedly 

 stops and watches his disturber's motions ; and when at 

 length he does take his measure, it is a most decisive one : 

 a whole herd will sometimes force their way at the very 

 point where the drivers are the most numerous, and where 

 there are no rifles ; so that I have seen the hill-men fling 

 their sticks at them, while they have raced away without a 

 shot being fired. 



When a stag is closely pursued by dogs, and feels that 

 he cannot escape from them, he flies to the best position he 

 can, and defends himself to the last extremity. This is 

 called, going to bay. If he is badly wounded, or very 

 much over-matched in speed, he has little choice of ground ; 

 but if he finds himself stout in the chase, and is pursued in 

 his native mountains, he will select the most defensible 

 spot he has it in his power to reach ; and woe be unto the 



