72
THE CHACE.
Book III.
Nor Hounds alone this noxious Brood destroy:
The plunder'd Warrener full many a Wile
Devises to entrap his greedy Foe,
Fat with nocturnal Spoils. At Close of Day, 200
With Silence drags his Trail; then from the Ground
Pares thin the close-graz'd Turf, there with nice Hand
Covers the latent Death, with curious Springs
Prepar'd to fly at once, whene'er the Tread
Of Man or Beast, unwarily shall press 205
The yielding Surface. By th' indented Steel
With Gripe tenacious held, the Felon grins,
And struggles, but in vain: Yet oft tis known,
When ev'ry Art has fail'd, the captive Fox
Has shar'd the wounded Joint, and with a Limb 210
Compounded for his Life. But if perchance
In the deep Pitfall plung'd, there's no Escape;
The plunder'd Warrener full many a Wile
Devises to entrap his greedy Foe,
Fat with nocturnal Spoils. At Close of Day, 200
With Silence drags his Trail; then from the Ground
Pares thin the close-graz'd Turf, there with nice Hand
Covers the latent Death, with curious Springs
Prepar'd to fly at once, whene'er the Tread
Of Man or Beast, unwarily shall press 205
The yielding Surface. By th' indented Steel
With Gripe tenacious held, the Felon grins,
And struggles, but in vain: Yet oft tis known,
When ev'ry Art has fail'd, the captive Fox
Has shar'd the wounded Joint, and with a Limb 210
Compounded for his Life. But if perchance
In the deep Pitfall plung'd, there's no Escape;
But
