360 THE DEER PULLED DOWN. 



hock with such violence of grasp, as seemed in a great 

 measure to paralyse the limb, for the deer's speed was 

 immediately checked. Buskar was not far behind, for 

 soon afterwards passing Bran, he seized the deer by the 

 neck. Notwithstanding the weight of the two dogs which 

 were hanging to him, having the assistance of the slope of 

 the ground, he continued dragging them along at a most 

 extraordinary rate (in defiance of their utmost exertions to 

 detain him), and succeeded more than once in kicking 

 Bran off. But he became at length exhausted ; the dogs 

 succeeded in pulling him down, and, though he made 

 several attempts to rise, he never completely regained his 

 legs. 



On coming up, we found him perfectly dead, with the 

 joints of both his fore legs dislocated at the knee, his 

 throat perforated, and his chest and flanks much lacerated. 



As the ground was perfectly smooth for a considerable 

 distance round the place where he fell, and not in any 

 degree swampy, it is difficult to account for the dislocation 

 of his knees, unless it happened during his struggles to 

 rise. Buskar was perfectly exhausted, and had lain down, 

 shaking from head to foot much like a broken-down horse ; 

 but on our approaching the deer, he rose, walked round him 

 with a determined growl, and would scarcely permit us to 

 come near him. He had not, however, received any cut or 

 injury ; while Bran showed several bruises, nearly a 

 square inch having been taken off the front of his fore leg, 

 so that the bone was visible, and a piece of burnt heather 

 had passed quite through his foot. 



Nothing could exceed the determined courage displayed 

 by both dogs, particularly by Buskar, throughout the chase, 



