Curious affair in the village
yesterday. Owners of land bordering the forest have the right to catch such
deer as they find on their land. Now is the season when deer stray, in search
of young shoot. They stray about dawn. Villagers organise a sort of surprise
for the deer. They arise before dawn and lie in wait. Yesterday morning 60
people caught 6 deer. The deer were killed in an open yard close to this house,
and blood ran in gallons into and down the road. The 60 people drew lots for
the best cuts, and one hears the monotonous calling of the numbers. One-tenth
of a deer for each person. This morning I saw 4 biches and 3 cerfs slowly
cross the road in the forest, about 100 yards behind me.
Journs of Arnold Bennett, Monday, March 30th 1908
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