DEER-S TA LKING. 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 " v/ork 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 benefitincj our neio^hbour. 



But who shall tell, besides this difficulty, the 

 countless pitfalls which surround the young and 

 inexperienced deer-stalker ? 



