FATAL RUSH OF A HART. 317 



accidents : they get wounded, and even killed, by the harts ; 

 are maimed for life, or meet their death by falling over 

 precipices in their reckless pursuit, particularly in rounding 

 a corner. 



It is very seldom that the deer themselves suffer from 

 precipitous falls, being well acquainted with their ground, 

 and studious in selecting it. Once, however, when I was 

 out, it happened that a hart, being wounded by me, and 

 chased by one of my hounds, came to a very high and 

 steep declivity by the river Mark, not far from Glen Tilt. 

 Being pressed closely by the dog, he went down it upon his 

 hind quarters, preserving his position in the rush in a 

 most wonderful manner, at a time when I expected he 

 must have fallen headlong, and met with inevitable and 

 instant death. The dog just saved himself in the scramble, 

 and had barely power to draw back, pausing for a moment 

 at the edge of the precipice, with his fore legs extended, 

 and horror in his looks. The hart was not dead, though 

 terribly mangled. I got to him with difficulty, by going 

 some little distance round, and swinging down from rock 

 to rock by means of the impending birches. 



For my own sport I seldom turned my dogs loose after 

 cold harts, only doing so when I was endeavouring to 

 bring such to bay for the Duke of AtholPs sport. Thus, 

 being put upon the scent of wounded deer only, they stuck 

 to the blood. 



The hill-man or gillie who leads the dogs should be a 

 very steady clever fellow, and moreover, a strong man; 

 for the dogs are so eager and powerful, that he who has 

 them in the leash is frequently pulled head over heels, 

 when he runs down hill with them. All their tackle 



