46 DEER-STALKING. 



deer on his own ground, but so close to the march that 

 they are not stalkable except by crossing it, to come 

 over on to his neighbour's ground sufficiently far to 

 hide his cap whilst crawling on his hands and knees. 

 Between some forests there is a further understanding, 

 that a wounded deer may be followed across the march. 

 The better and more usual plan, however, is to send 

 a letter to the occupier of the adjoining ground, and 

 inform him that a wounded deer has been sent to him, 

 and ask that his foresters be told to keep a look 

 out for it. If the march be crossed in pursuit of a 

 wounded deer it is almost sure to spoil the sport of 

 any other party that is out on the adjoining beat; 

 also, in the event of the wind blowing strongly from 

 the backs of the search party, they will be very liable 

 to move a lot of deer, which on being disturbed will 

 run up wind and right on to the ground where the 

 deer was wounded. With a wind like this, some not 

 over-nice foresters will see a deer wounded and take 

 over the march with vast satisfaction ; and when in 

 pursuit they will take no pains to go quietly, or to keep 

 themselves as much as maybe out of sight, well 

 knowing that every deer they move will head up 

 wind direct on to their own ground, and then if it 

 holds in the same quarter till next morning, there will 

 be a good chance at some of their neighbour's deer the 

 next day. It goes without saying that most stalkers 

 will find extra pleasure in killing a good stag coming 

 from Naboth's vineyard, and the ground that is " over 

 the march" is always Naboth's, no matter what the 

 actual facts of the case may be. 



