DRUID 261 



through thickets, with two guns sometimes on my shoulder, 

 the eleven -gauge double -shot gun charged with a double B. 

 cartridge, and my single rifle, for at first I roused the does in 

 threes and fours, and have more than once, in running shots, 

 killed three with the three barrels ; loaded thus, I have laughed 

 to see my men divesting themselves of their jackets, as if they 

 were going hay-making in summer, and even then not seeing so 

 much of the i-un as I did. 



There are two little streams that run from the bogs and 

 enter Holmesley enclosure, wide apart, at different places, when 

 they enter the wood; but in the middle of the cover they 

 almost meet when they cross the main ride, and flow on thus to 

 the Efford stream, joining it close by Christchurch railway 

 station. These streams may be about foui- or five feet in the 

 bank, but are very shallow, just rippling over the bright gi-avel ; 

 knee-deep to a deer in some places, in others just above the 

 foot. The young oak trees are high, and the cover hollow, 

 near these streams, and a deer or hound can be seen, in places, 

 many hundi'ed yards from the main ride. The first time, after 

 a chase of nearly five hours, that Di'uid fairly hunted down a 

 doe, was in Holmesley enclosure and its environs, when, finding 

 that the doe was beaten, and hanging to " soil,"" as we term it, 

 or water, I posted myself on the main ride, as much in command 

 of the sti'eams as possible. Farther up the stream, and farther 

 down, at times, I heard Druid at fault ; his heavy tongue, that 

 had been knelling the death of the deer all day, would be silent 

 for a quarter of an hour together, and then ring on again. I knew 

 well what was the matter, and that the deer was keeping the 

 water, and changing from stream to stream, and that Druid 

 could not make her out; the nature of our sport, however, 

 admitted of but little aid from a huntsman : in this case the 

 huntsman's help was in the rifle ; the hound must learn of him- 

 self to overcome all difficulties. After a time, Druid went on 

 again, and several of these checks happened when I could not 

 see what took place, although I knew it all as well as if I had 

 seen it. Soon aftei'wards the doe came in view a long way 



