DEER-STALKING. 205 



at all with the wind where it is; or even, if the 

 forest is your own, you yourself have to remain 

 at home for the same reason. All this takes away 

 from the " romance of the thing " ; all this, too, is 

 the self-created obstacle to general sport caused 

 by indulgence in the luxury of unneighbourly 

 jealousy. It is the same feeling which prompts 

 a game preserver to "work his outsides." It is 

 pitiable, but perhaps natural. It is a mistake, too, 

 for if men were all generous in such matters and 

 worked their ground fairly, they would all have 

 much better sport ; but human nature varying as it 

 does, one mean and selfish rogue amid a whole 

 fraternity of generous men would reap all the ad- 

 vantage and contribute nothing to the general 

 good. So we go on, in true Christian fashion 

 spiting ourselves and spoiling our own sport for 

 fear of benefiting our neighbour. 



But who shall tell, besides this difficulty, the 

 countless pitfalls which surround the young and 

 inexperienced deer-stalker ? 



