FURIOUS ATTACK BY A RED DEER. 35 



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 Dalguise, 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, however, had other intentions ; for as soon as 

 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 

 off-side 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 instantly ran off the road ; and it was owing solely 

 to the admirable presence of mind and nerve of the 

 postillion, that the carriage was not precipitated over the 



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