THE DEER FAMILY. 



within a few yards of him. The hounds in a mad 

 chorus are at bay, and, the woods ring again with 

 the cheering sound. Nothing can stop him now— 

 thorns, or clothes, or flesh must go— something 

 must give way as he bursts through them and 

 stands upon the plain. 



" There they are in that deep pool formed by the 

 river as it sweeps round the rock. A buck! a noble 

 fellow! Now he charges at the hounds, and strikes 

 the foremost beneath the water with his fore-feet; 

 up they come again to the surface— they hear their 

 master's well-known shout — they look round and 



Fig. 162.— The Axis or Spotted Deer (Axis maculata). 



see his welcome figure on the steep bank. Another 

 moment, a tremendous splash, and he is among the 

 hounds, and all are swimming towards their noble 

 game. At them he comes with a fierce rush, 

 Avoid him as you best can, ye hunters, man and 

 hounds! 



" Down the river the buck now swims, sometimes 

 galloping over the shallows, sometimes wading 

 shoulder-deep, sometimes swimming through the 

 deep pools. Now he dashes down the fierce rapids 

 and leaps the opposing rocks, between which the 

 torrent rushes at a frightful pace. The hounds are 

 after him, the roaring of the water joins in their 

 wild chorus, the loud holloa of the huntsman is 

 heard above every sound as he cheers the pack on. 

 He runs along the bank of the river, and again 

 the enraged buck turns to bay. He has this time 



Vol. II. 



taken a strong position; he stands in a swift rapid 



about two feet deep, his thin legs cleave the stream 



as it rushes past, and every hound is swept away 



as he attempts to stem the current. He is a 



perfect picture, his nostrils are distended, his mane 



is bristled up, his eyes flash, and he adds his loud 



bark of defiance to the din around him. The 



hounds cannot touch him. Now for the huntsman's 



part; he calls the staunchest seizers to his side, 



gives them a cheer on, and steps into the torrent 



knife in hand. Quick as lightning the buck springs 



to the attack ; but he has exposed himself, and at 



that moment the tall lurchers are upon his ears; 



the huntsman leaps upon one side and plunges the 



knife behind his shoulder. A tremendous struggle 



takes place — the whole pack is upon him ; still his 



dying efforts almost free him from their hold, a 



43 



