260 SPOUTING IN BOTH HEMISPHERES. 



desperation I fired, and had the cruel satisfaction to see poor 

 Reynard roll over, struck by nearly the whole charge. I 

 raised a melancholy whoo-hoop, which very much amused 

 my companions when I informed them it was the British 

 method of singing a dirge over the dead fox. I fancy they 

 looked upon my religious creed with some suspicion, and 

 considered me more than half an idolater. 



Our next noble game, as we wended down the cover, were 

 two or three squirrels, which we knocked off the trees, and 

 at last, seeing how things were going on, I made up my mind 

 to shoot everything I came across, from a torn -tit to a 

 tinker's donkey. 



Out burst the singing again, but not of so long duration 

 as before. We were getting rather tired, and were approach- 

 ing some woods where we expected to find roedeer. We 

 pressed on to the beech woods, where we disposed ourselves 

 for a drive in regular battue fashion. I found myself in 

 company with a man on my right, a thick screen of under- 

 wood before me. On looking towards him, I perceived he 

 handled his gun in a very primitive and dangerous manner, 

 that augured very badly for the safety of my legs. Almost at 

 the same moment a fine roe burst out before us; my friend 

 fired both barrels at once, and the roe bounded apparently 

 untouched through the underwood, but immediately a most 

 unearthly yell resounded from the line of beaters, and 

 presently several approached, bearing one of their com- 

 panions, who lamented being cut off in his youth (he was 

 not much more than fifty), in most feeling complaint. On 

 closer examination we discovered that he had received a shot 

 a little below the knee, which, by greasing it with a metallic 

 plaster, soon ceased to cause him much inconvenience. 



Instead of any compunction for thus wounding a fellow- 

 creature, my friend seemed rather elated than otherwise, 

 and glancing towards him I observed, to my horror, that he 



