i6o STAG-HUNTING ON EXMOOR. 



distracted by the hounds, and take him literally with 

 finger and thumb. Like everything- else, this is not 

 very difficult when you know how to do it. The stag 

 must of course be approached from behind, as it would 

 be certain death to attack him in front. His horns 

 must be seized wheji his head is laid back and jammed 

 down on to his shoulders. He is then powerless, and 

 may be dragged ashore if there be men enough for 

 the work, or thrown and stabbed to the heart there 

 and then. But if a man catch hold of his horns when 

 his head is thrown forward, as when threatening a 

 hound, he will find himself sent flying away heels over 

 head. The strength in a stag's neck is enormous, and 

 a very old stag has been seen to hurl two strong men, 

 who handled him injudiciously, far in front of him. It 

 is rare for men to be hurt by a stag, though two men 

 were roughly handled by a very savage one in 1883. 

 In October of 1885 the hounds broke away after one 

 of the park stags at St. Audries, and set him up against 

 the park palings. The whip galloped up and got them 

 away, and the stag at once charged him and drove one 

 antler deep into his horse's chest. Had it not been 

 that he drove his forehead against the man's knee, the 

 brute would probably have killed both. As it was the 

 horse was unfit for work for a month. This stag was 



