228 STAG -HUNTING ON EXMOOR 



Surely the most important, interesting, and 

 difficult part of the chase of the wild deer is 

 the " harbouring," as it is called. How fine an 

 exercise of woodcraft ! The harbourer's best guide 

 is the slot, or footprint of the deer, which, to the 

 experienced eye, tells whether the deer afoot be 

 stag or hind, and whether of proper age to hunt 

 and kill. Four or five hours are often spent by 

 the most skilful harbourer in tracking a warrant- 

 able stag to his lair. The deer duly harboured, 

 the next thing is to rouse him, and force him to 

 break cover and run for dear life. Selected hounds 

 called " tufters " are laid on the drag, and master, 

 huntsman, whip and harbourer, post themselves 

 where they will be able to stop the hounds after 

 this purpose is served. 



Looking across the declivity in front of us, we 

 see the wooded slopes where a stag has been 

 harboured. The scarlet jackets of huntsman and 

 whips move about in the distance, directing the 

 tufters by horn and voice. " There he goes, sir," 

 at length cries a schoolboy on his pony, whose 

 sharp eyes have detected the graceful bound of a 

 deer ; but it is a hind, and the schoolboy is told 

 that, although hinds are hunted later on, the present 

 is a close time for them, and that our jolly company 

 of sportsmen and ladies will not ride to hounds this 



