STALKING SHOES 385 



remarked, far more real sport in shooting driven deer 

 than in enacting the role of ' twin serpent ' to a pro- 

 fessional, and a drive, well organized, may be made a 

 very sporting affair, and be a very good test of a 

 man's knowledge in selecting the best stags, as well 

 as shooting them. But it is a vastly different thing to 

 be surrounded by attendants with every conceivable 

 luxury, and to have deer driven close up to the guns 

 by hundreds. Such exhibitions as these have been 

 taking place of late years, and have done more to 

 injure and degrade sportsmen in the eyes of the world 

 than enough ; and it is quite time that people should 

 speak out, and prevent any further repetition of such 

 degrading work, which is enough to cause such men 

 as Scrope and Horatio Ross to turn in their very 

 graves, and to cause a revolution against deer-forests 

 throughout the kingdom. 



As for other shooting, so also for deer-stalking, it is 

 most unwise to wear new shoes, and they are far better 

 for the purpose for which they are required when 

 made by the local men, who make for all the keepers, 

 etc., in their several districts. They should be at least 

 a year old, and well worn, for otherwise the stalker 

 will find himself very heavily handicapped, and to such 

 an extent that if he is unable, by reason of living in 

 town, etc., to wear them himself except during the 

 shooting season, it is, even though perhaps an un- 

 pleasant remedy, far better to get someone else to 

 break them in for him, so as to be ready for him to 

 use when the 12th arrives. I have many a time had 

 occasion to pity the victims of London waterproof 

 boot-makers ; my own first day's grouse-shooting (alas ! 

 long ago) caused me to lose the best part of the 



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