Alfred Moreland; The Would-Be Traveller

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 186?. Excerpt: ... THE REIN-DEER. Mr. Campbell. Before I give you an account of the reindeer, I must say something about the red-deer and the fallow-deer; and then, if you and Pompey are disposed to go a hunting together, you will know which of them you will be most likely to catch. Hunting in former times was a very different thing to what it is now. When the country was but little cultivated, animals of the chase were hunted to furnish food and clothing. The chase is now pursued, in this country, for amusement only, a motive which can hardly justify a reflective being for the cruelty unnecessarily indulged in towards defenceless creatures. In former Y I times, too, society was differently constituted to what it is now: people were continually liable to feuds and quarrels with their adjoining neighbours; for the chief of one domain was frequently at enmity with all around him. Men being thus ever liable to daring encounters and bloody contests one with another, were of hardier habits, and were naturally fond of amusements of a bold and daring character. The hunting of the wolf anM the wild boar was a favourite pursuit; and the chase of the stag was entered into with a degree of ardour suited to the excited feelings of our rude forefathers. The stag, when rendered desperate, is a dangerous animal, and a wound given by his antlers, at certain seasons of the year, was believed by our superstitious ancestors to be incurable. When the stag is closely followed, he usually turns against the hounds and horses that pursue him, and keeps them at bay. The ancient hunter used to run in upon him in this situation, to kill or to disable him; and many a one has had reason to repent of his temerity. In modern times the dangerous parts of the amusement are left to the huntsman and whipper-...