BAY
—is a sporting term, and used in the following sense. When a stag has been so long pursued that, finding his speed or strength nearly exhausted, he turns round, (having some protection of building or paling in his rear,) and facing the hounds, resolutely defends himself with his antlers, keeping the hounds at bay, till the sportsmen come up, who immediately assist in drawing off the hounds, and saving the life of the deer. When the deer takes soil, (that is, takes to the water,) he will defend himself, and keep the hounds a long time at bay, provided he fathoms the lake or river so well as to keep the hounds swimming, and not go out of his own depth; if he loses which, and is obliged to swim at the time he is up, (in other words, quite tired,) and surrounded by the hounds, he is inevitably drowned by his numerous and determined foes, in opposition to every exertion that can be made to save him.
In fox-hunting, when the fox is supposed to have gone to earth, the fact can only be ascertained in many cases by the excellence of the terrier attending the pack, who has in general strength and speed sufficient to keep him from being far behind. Upon entering the earth, discovery is soon made of the certainty of his retreat, by the terrier's "laying well at him," provided the fox has not turned in the earth: if he has so done, and they are face to face, they are both baying, or keeping each other at bay, till the controversy ends in digging out the fox, and letting in the hounds for their share of the entertainment, with the additional acquisition of blood for the advantage of the pack.