THE COUKSE. 359 



most interesting ; the dogs pressed him hard, and the deer, 

 getting confused, found himself suddenly on the brink of a 

 small precipice, of about fourteen feet in height, from the 

 bottom of which there sloped a rugged mass of stones. 

 He paused for a moment, as if afraid to take the leap, but 

 the dogs were so close that he had no alternative. 



At this time the party were not above 150 yards distant, 

 and most anxiously waited the result, fearing, from the 

 ruggedness of the ground below, that the deer would not 

 survive the leap. They were, however, soon relieved from 

 their anxiety ; for though he took the leap, he did so more 

 cunningly than gallantly, dropping himself in the most 

 singular manner, so that his hind legs first reached the 

 broken rocks below : nor were the dogs long in following 

 him ; Buskar sprang first, and, extraordinary to relate, did 

 not lose his legs ; Bran followed, and, on reaching the 

 ground, performed a complete summerset ; he soon, how- 

 ever, recovered his legs ; and the chase was continued in 

 an oblique direction down the side of a most rugged and 

 rocky brae, the deer apparently more fresh and nimble 

 than ever, jumping through the rocks like a goat, and the 

 dogs well up, though occasionally receiving the most fearful 

 falls. 



From the high position in which we were placed, the 

 chase was visible for nearly half a mile. When some 

 rising ground intercepted our view, we made with all 

 speed for a higher point, and, on reaching it, we could 

 perceive that the dogs, having got upon smooth ground, 

 had gained on the deer, who was still going at speed, and 

 were close up with him. Bran was then leading, and in 

 a few seconds was at his heels, and immediately seized his 



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