Читать книгу Wild Life at the Land's End - John Coulson Tregarthen - Страница 11

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Quoted from “Carew’s Survey of Cornwall, 1565.”

“Beasts of venerie, persecuted for their cases, or ‘dommage feasance’ are martens, squirrels, foxes, badgers and otters.... The fox planteth his dwelling in the steep cliffs by the sea side; where he possesseth holds so many in number, so dangerous for access, and so full of windings, as in a manner it falleth out a matter impossible to disseize him of that his ancient inheritage. True it is, that sometimes when he marcheth abroad on foraging to revictual his ‘male pardus’ the captain hunters, discovering his sallies by their espyal, do lay their soldier-like hounds, his born enemies, in ambush between him and home, and so with har and tue pursue him to the death. Then master reynard ransacketh every corner of his wily sconce, and bestirreth the utmost of his nimble stumps to quit his coat from their jaws. He crosseth brooks, to make them lose the scent; he slippeth into coverts, to steal out of sight; he casteth and coasteth the country to get the start of the way; and if he be so met, as he finds himself overmatched, he abideth and biddeth them battle, first sending the mire of his tail against their eyes in lieu of shot, and then manfully closing at hand-blows, with the sword of his teeth, not forgetting the whiles to make an honourable retreat with his face towards the enemy; by which means having once reached his fortress, he then gives the fico to all that his adversaries can by siege, force, mine, sword, assault, or famine, attempt against him.”