48 DAYS OF DEER-STALKING. 



paces, sticking upon his horn : the man was immediately 

 conveyed to Lymington, where he lay dangerously ill for 

 some time, but at length recovered. I have heard also that 

 when the Duke of Bedford was lord-warden of the forest, 

 his huntsman had a horse killed under him by a stag, which 

 he crossed in the same imprudent manner. " We read" 

 (saith the editor of the Noble Art of Venerie) " of an em- 

 peror named Batels, who had done great deedes cf chivalrie 

 in his country, and yet was nevertheless slayne with a hart 

 in breaking of a bay." 



But a recenc instance occurred in October, 1836, of the 

 forocity of a red deer when conh'ned in a park, which, from 

 the courtesy of the gentleman to whom it happened, I am 

 enabled to give circumstantially. 



The Hon. Mr. and Mrs. Fox Maule had left Taymouth 

 with the intention of proceeding towards Dalgtiise, and in 

 driving through that part of the grounds where the red 

 deer were kept, they suddenly, at a turn of the road, came 

 upon the- lord of the demesne, standing in the centre of the 

 passage, as if prepared to dispute it against all comers. 



Mr. Maule being aware that it might be dangerous to 

 trifle with him, or to endeavour to drive him away (for it 

 was the rutting season), cautioned the postillion to go slowly, 

 and give the animal an opportunity of moving off. 



This was done, and the stag retired to a small hollow by 

 the side of the road ; on the carriage passing, however, he 

 took offence at its too near approach, and emerged at a slow 

 and stately pace, till he arrived nearly parallel with it; 

 Mr. Maule then desired the lad to increase his pace, being 

 apprehensive of a charge on the broadside. 



The deer, how r ever, had other intentions ; for as soon as 

 1 the carriage moved quicker, he increased his pace also, and 

 came on the road about twelve yards ahead of it, for the 

 purpose of crossing, as it was thought, to a lower range of 

 the park ; but to the astonishment, and no little alarm of 

 the occupants of the carriage, he charged the offside horse, 

 plunging his long brow antler into his chest, and otherwise 

 cutting him. 



The horse that was wounded made two violent kicks, 

 and is supposed to have struck the stag, and then the pair 



