350 STAGHUNTING WITH THE 



the next hedgerow, and stands to confront 

 his unwelcome follower. Meanwhile the farm 

 labourers hear " Ship " giving tongue, and their 

 view holloas reach the huntsman's ear as he 

 follows his pack beside the deerpark railings 

 where the stag came down. Full well he 

 knows that welcome sound which foretells the 

 successful ending of his day's work. His 

 practised eye glances far ahead, forwards and 

 downwards to the green fields beneath the road, 

 that lies spread out like a map, with the 

 running figures of the workmen, the sheep-dog 

 a brown dot, and the cornered stag, a larger 

 splash of red beside the hedgerow. Just then 

 the stag charges at the dog, just as the lusty 

 sons of toil come running through the open 

 gateway. The dog flies velping and the stag 

 turns to an easy gap, to clear it with deliberate 

 stride, and so gallop down to the cliffs that 

 face the sea. Now the cliffs just here are high, 

 and at foot are perpendicular, but the stag 

 having got out of sight of all pursuers, thinks 

 he can find a satisfactorv hiding place by 

 walking a little way down over the steep earthy 

 slope where the fields break off and the cliffs 

 begin. At first he finds fair foothold and his 

 cloven feet grip the weather worn marl quite 

 well. But as he goes on, and turns the first 

 corner, the ground becomes more crumbling 

 and treacherous and slopes at a steeper angle. 



