46 THE MOOR AND THE LOCH. 



steady hound. Thoroughly acquainted with all the passes, he 

 places himself in that he considers the best, ready to change 

 his position should the baying of the hound seem to indicate 

 that the roe has taken a different direction. If it escapes at 

 the first burst, he is not at all disconcerted, as his tactics now 

 begin. The roe perhaps stretches away into the large pine- 

 forest, and he sees his good hound slowly and surely threading 

 his way through the thick underwood, and hears him making 

 the welkin ring. Now is the time for our sportsman to dis- 

 play the strength of his lungs and limbs. Aware that the roe, 

 after a fair heat, will probably slacken its speed, with the 

 hound scarcely more than a hundred yards behind, and will 

 course slowly round and round a knot of hillocks, perhaps for 

 half an hour at a time, he will use his utmost efforts to keep 

 within hearing of the bay. Whenever this appears nearly 

 confined to one place, he advances with extreme caution, peer- 

 ing round at every step, with his gun cocked and held ready 

 to fire. The sound seems now at hand again more distant, 

 as it is obstructed by the intervening hillocks ; he conceals 

 himself upon an angle of one of them, near the centre of the 

 knot, to command as good a view both ways as he can. If 

 the hound continues opening near, he watches with the utmost 

 vigilance, almost holding his breath to catch the slightest sound. 

 After waiting some time, should the dog still remain near, he 

 will occasionally shift his position, but always with the same 

 caution. 



A novice would scarcely believe the noiseless step with 

 which a roe will often pass, and the scanty covering of brush- 

 wood that will screen it from observation. Should it slip by 

 in this manner, you will of course immediately know by the 

 tracking of the hound, which has often made me aware of its 

 almost magical transit. Attention and experience, however, 

 will considerably lessen the roe's chance of escape. Whenever 

 it takes another direction, follow at your best speed, until it 

 again tries the dodging game. Continue the pursuit so long 



