A VERY TAME STAG HUNT 43 



tenants, who spared neither voice, horn nor whip, the 

 pack was got off the hne and taken into a neighbouring 

 meadow, while one of the whips was " told off " to 

 chivy the quarry into running. Then came the most 

 humorous part in the sporting comedy. Now, as to 

 whether or no the servant's mount had at some time 

 been turned out to grass in the deer paddock, and so 

 struck up an acquaintance with the stag, we cannot say. 

 Be this as it may, the manner in which that gentlest of 

 all the cervus family " cottoned " on to the gelding was 

 quite pathetic. In vain did the whipper-in endeavour 

 to make him run again. He would have none of it, 

 but trotted leisurely alongside his equine friend, until 

 the man, probably realising the absurdity of the scene, 

 secured him. 



The Master, seeing that there was no run to be got 

 out of the stag, gave orders for it to be encarted and 

 another stag turned down, but we did not wait the 

 arrival of the cart, having had enough tame " stagging " 

 for one day. 



"Upon what grounds the anti-sporting league call 

 tame staghunting a cruel sport I cannot imagine," 

 quoth Barker as we returned homewards through 

 leafless lanes and flooded meadows. 



