DEER-SHOOTING AND OTHER MATTERS. 93 



would take a sweep round, and enter the cover or woods 

 a mile off. Then turning towards me, and letting go 

 the dogs, all would work very slowly through the woods. 

 The dogs pay no attention to their masters, but work 

 together and amongst themselves in a silent, cunning, 

 and most deadly manner. These pariahs almost always 

 killed one or two deer alone and unaided. They have 

 such keen scent, that once on the track of deer or boar, 

 no hound could stick better to the quarry. It always 

 struck me the poor timid animal got far more put 

 out, and at a loss to know what to do when chased 

 by these silent persistent enemies, than by dogs giving 

 tongue. I have watched the deer steal quickly away, 

 and, hearing no sound, stop and listen; suddenly a 

 white wolfish-looking animal would appear from the 

 cover, at the same spot the deer had left it; away 

 would bound the nervous animal- — again coming to a 

 stop a few hundred yards off; suddenly, as before, the 

 white-like shadow would emerge on the track, always 

 perfectly silent ; dashing off once more, to undergo the 

 same horror of being followed, the poor beast, if not 

 shot, would very soon plunge into the water — be it sea 

 or lake, — and swim not unfrequently two or three miles 

 to some other point or cover. Deer almost invariably 

 take to the water after a time. It is extraordinary how 



