FEB. ROE-HUNTING. 181 



out getting shot : but occasionally he pays for his 

 depredations, notwithstanding his cunning. 



Soon after throwing off in one of the large covers 

 near the sea, the hounds begin to find the cold 

 scent of roe, and gradually working up to the 

 thickets, often start the animal in view. Away 

 they then go, making the woods echo again with 

 their deep tones, the younger dogs taking the lead. 

 The roe at first tries to avoid leaving the first 

 division of wood in which he is found, but on the 

 hounds sticking to him, he crosses some wide open 

 heather and swamp to the higher grounds. Here 

 the trees are older, with little underwood ; so after 

 a rattling run through all this, I can reckon on 

 their crossing the swamps again to the thickets, 

 where the buck was first found. He comes to the 

 head of the brae and stands listening to the hounds, 

 carefully examining the wide flats of heath, wood, 

 and swamp below him. The hounds come nearer 

 and nearer, and still the buck seems unwilling 

 to cross the open ground. At last the dogs are 

 close to him, and then only he descends the bank, 

 springing over the juniper, which is frequently six 

 feet high, the staunch little pack threading their way 

 through it. Across they go, and over the swamps, 

 the buck springing from hillock to hillock wherever 

 he can find footing. The beagles make their way 



