按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
＇15＇ See Pollux； v。 50。 〃She must presently be tired out in the heavy
43
… Page 44…
The Sportsman
snow； which balls itself like a fatal clog clinging to the under part of
her hairy feet。〃
44
… Page 45…
The Sportsman
IX
For hunting fawns＇1＇ and deer；＇2＇ Indian dogs＇3＇ should be employed；
as being strong； large； and fleet…footed； and not devoid of spirit； with these
points they will prove well equal to the toil。
＇1＇ See Hom。 〃Il。〃 xxii。 189； x。 361； 〃Od。〃 iv。 35； Aelian； 〃N。 A。〃
xiv。 14； xvii。 26； Geopon。 xix。 5。
＇2＇ ｛e elaphos｝ （generic； Attic） = hart or hind； of roe （Capreolus
caprea） or red （Cervus elaphus） deer alike； I suppose。 See St。 John；
〃Nat。 Hist。 and Sport in Moray。〃
＇3＇ Of the Persian or Grecian greyhound type perhaps。 See Aristot。 〃H。
A。〃 viii。 28； Aelian； 〃N。 A。〃 viii。 1； Pollux； v。 37； 38； 43； Plin。 〃H。
N。〃 vii。 2； viii。 28； Oppian； 〃Cyn。〃 i。 413。
Quite young fawns＇4＇ should be captured in spring； that being the
season at which the dams calve。＇5＇ Some one should go beforehand into
the rank meadowlands＇6＇ and reconnoitre where the hinds are congregated；
and wherever that may be； the master of the hounds will set offwith his
hounds and a supply of javelinsbefore daylight to the place in question。
Here he will attach the hounds to trees＇7＇ some distance off； for fear of
their barking；＇8＇ when they catch sight of the deer。 That done he will
choose a specular point himself and keep a sharp look…out。＇9＇ As day
breaks he will espy the hinds leading their fawns to the places where they
will lay them severally to rest。＇10＇ Having made them lie down and
suckled them； they will cast anxious glances this way and that to see that
no one watches them； and then they will severally withdraw to the side
opposite and mount guard； each over her own offspring。 The huntsman；
who has seen it all；＇11＇ will loose the dogs； and with javelins in hand
himself advance towards the nearest fawn in the direction of where he saw
it laid to rest； carefully noting the lie of the land；＇12＇ for fear of making
some mistake； since the place itself will present a very different aspect on
approach from what it looked like at a distance。
＇4＇ See above； v。 14。 I do not know that any one has answered
Schneider's question： Quidni sensum eundem servavit homo
religiosus in hinnulis？
45
… Page 46…
The Sportsman
＇5＇ 〃The fawns （of the roe deer） are born in the spring； usually early
in May；〃 Lydekker； 〃R。 N。 H。〃 ii。 p。 383； of the red deer 〃generally in
the early part of June；〃 ib。 346。
＇6＇ ｛orgadas｝ = 〃gagnages；〃 du Fouilloux； 〃Comment le veneur doit
aller en queste aux taillis ou gaignages pour voir le cerf a veue；〃 ap。
Talbot； op。 cit。 i。 p。 331。
＇7＇ Or； 〃off the wood。〃
＇8＇ It seems they were not trained to restrain themselves。
＇9＇ Or； 〃set himself to observe from some higher place。〃 Cf。 Aristoph。
〃Wasps；〃 361； ｛nun de xun oplois｝ ｜ ｛andres oplitai diataxamenoi｝ ｜
｛kata tas diodous skopiorountai｝。 Philostr。 784。
＇10＇ See Pollux； v。 77； Aristot。 〃H。 A。〃 ix。 5。 Mr。 Scrope ap。
Lydekker； 〃R。 N。 H。〃 ii。 p。 346； states that the dam of the red deer
makes her offspring 〃lie down by a pressure of her nose；〃 etc。
＇11＇ Lit。 〃when he sees these things。〃
＇12＇ Or； 〃the features of the scene〃； 〃the topography。〃
When his eye has lit upon the object of his search； he will approach
quite close。 The fawn will keep perfectly still； glued＇13＇ as it were to earth；
and with loud bleats suffer itself to be picked up； unless it happen to be
drenched with rain； in which case； it will not stay quiet in one place。 No
doubt； the internal moisture of the animal congeals quickly with the
cold＇14＇ and causes it to shift its ground。 Caught in that case it must needs
be； but the hounds will have work enough to run the creature down。＇15＇
The huntsman having seized the fawn； will hand it to the keeper。 The
bleating will continue； and the hind； partly seeing and partly hearing； will
bear down full tilt upon the man who has got her young； in her desire to
rescue it。 Now is the moment to urge on the hounds and ply the javelins。
And so having mastered this one； he will proceed against the rest； and
employ the same method of the chase in dealing with them。
＇13＇ ｛piesas｝； 〃noosling； nestling； buried。〃
＇14＇ 〃The blood runs cold。〃
＇15＇ Or； 〃but it will give them a good chase； the dogs will have their
work cut out。〃
Young fawns may be captured in the way described。 Those that are
46
… Page 47…
The Sportsman
already big will give more trouble； since they graze with their mothers and
the other deer； and when pursued retire in the middle of the herd or
occasionally in front； but very seldom in the rear。 The deer； moreover； in
order to protect their young will do battle with the hounds and trample
them under foot； so that capture is not easy； unless you come at once to
close quarters and scatter the herd； with the result that one or another of
the fawns is isolated。 The effort implies＇16＇ a strain； and the hounds will
be left behind in the first heat of the race； since the very absence of their
dams＇17＇ will intensify the young deer's terror； and the speed of a fawn；
that age and size； is quite incredible。＇18＇ But at the second or third run
they will be quickly captured； since their bodies being young and still
unformed cannot hold out long against fatigue。
＇16＇ Lit。 〃after that violent effort。〃
＇17＇ Or； 〃alarm at the absence of the herd will lend the creature
wings。〃
＇18＇ Or； 〃is past compare〃； 〃is beyond all telling。〃
Foot…gins＇19＇ or caltrops may be set for deer on mountains； in the
neighbourhood of meadows and streams and wooded glens； on cross…
roads＇20＇ or in tilled fields at spots which they frequent。＇21＇ These gins
should be made of twisted yew twigs＇22＇ stripped of the bark to prevent
their rotting。 They should have well…rounded hooplike 〃crowns〃＇23＇ with
alternate rows of nails of wood and iron woven into the coil。＇24＇ The iron
nails should be larger； so that while the wooden ones yield to the foot； the
others may press into it。＇25＇ The noose of the cord which will be laid upon
〃the crown〃 should be woven out of esparto and so should the rope itself；
this kind of grass being least liable to rot。 The rope and noose itself should
both alike be stout。 The log or clog of wood attached should be made of
common or of holm oak with the bark on； three spans in length； and a
palm in thickness。＇26＇
＇19＇ ｛podostrabai｝； podostrabai so called。 Cf。 〃the boot。〃
＇20＇ ｛en tais diodois｝； 〃at points where paths issue；〃 or 〃cross。〃
＇21＇ ｛pros o ti prosie｝； 〃against whatever they are likely to
approach。〃
＇22＇ Or； 〃should be woven out of Smilax〃； 〃Ebenholz；〃 Lenz； 〃Ifs；〃
47
… Page 48…
The Sportsman
Gail。
＇23＇ ｛tas de stephanas euk。 ekh。｝ 〃having circular rims。〃
＇24＇ ｛en to plokano｝ （al。 ｛plokamo｝） = the plaited rope； which formed
the ｛stephane｝。 See Pollux； v。 32； ap。 Schneid。 and Lenz。
＇25＇ Al。 〃so as to press into the foot； if the wooden ones yield。〃
＇26＇ Or； 〃27 inches x 3。〃
To set the trap； dig a hole in the soil to a depth of fifteen inches；＇27＇
circular in shape； with a circumference at the top exactly corresponding to
the crown and narrowing towards the bottom。 For the rope and wooden
clog likewise remove sufficient earth to let them both be lightly buried。
That done； place the foot…gin de