THE BADGER 



of pain from the wounded hounds as they 

 withdrew from this unaccustomed entertain- 

 ment. The whips and others did their best 

 to flog the hounds off, but this was not 

 accomphshed for at least ten minutes. After 

 much bloodshed, and when the last hound 

 had been choked off, the badger showed 

 neither scratch nor wound, and looked as 

 fresh as possible. Mr. Newcomen ordered a 

 whip to despatch him and end the tragedy. 

 The whip clubbed a weighted hunting-stock, 

 striking him several smashing blows on the 

 head, and left him apparently dead. A 

 farmer having asked if he might have him 

 to stuff, put him in a sack and carried him 

 off. A few da)s later I met the farmer, Mr. 

 R. Brunton, of Marton, and he told me that 

 when he got home the badger was as lively 

 as ever, so he put him on a collar and chain 

 and fastened him to a kennel. The day 

 following he thought, from the appearance 

 of the badger, that he was hurt about the 

 head, and with some difficulty examined him, 

 and found that the lower jaw was injured. 

 He thereupon got a revolver and fired a 

 38 



