Meantime, while they are away on
their quest, let us inspect the ancient contrivance of the toils. They are
heavy nets of rope, thick as a finger, and with meshes not more than ten
inches square--very strong, and to our eyes almost too solid and visible.
Partly to render them less conspicuous, the line--at least one hundred
yards long--is set in a long, narrow depression or shallow drain, running
from a wood on the Richmond side of Penn Pond down to a small pool. Just
in the centre of this line is a most ancient pollard oak, the crown of
which will hold eight men easily, ready to spring down to earth and seize
the deer as the nets fall on him. In this most appropriate watch-tower the
keeper in command at the toils, and several of his helpers, ensconced
themselves. The Richmond stags, though so constantly in the sight of the
crowds of visitors to the park, are among the boldest and gamest of all
park stags. One, who was more especially the object of the day's chase,
jumped a paling 6 ft. 3 in. high the day before, merely for amusement.
Those sometimes transferred to the paddocks at Ascot for hunting with the
Royal Buckhounds were noted for their courage and straight running.
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