ii8 MEMOIR OF 



'"Well, sir, they've a-traced a fox in some- 

 where ; and they've a-sot the bell a-going to 

 collect the people to shoot un.' 



"'Come, Bat, speak out like a man,' I re- 

 plied, 'and tell me where 'tis.' 



"'In Middlecot earths, sir; just over the 

 Okement.' 



"I was soon on the spot with about ten 

 couple of my little hounds, and found, standing 

 around the earths, about a hundred fellows — 

 the scum of the countrv — headed, I am almost 

 ashamed to say, by two gentlemen, Mr. Veale, 

 of Passaford, and his brother-in-law, Mr. Morris, 

 of Fishleigh, the father of Colonel W. Morris, 

 of the ' Light Brigade ' — that brilliant swordsman 

 to whose memory a monument is erected on 

 Hatherleigh Moor. 



" I remonstrated with these gentlemen, and 

 told them plainly that if they would leave the 

 earths, and preserve foxes for me, I would 

 show them more sport with my little pack in 

 one day than they w^ould see in a whole year 

 by destroying the gallant animal in so un- 

 English a way. 



"Impressed, apparently, by what I had said, 

 both gentlemen instantly bade me a 'good 

 morning,' turned on their heels and left the 

 place ; while a few shillings, distributed among 

 the crowd by way of compensation for the 

 disappointment I had caused them, induced 



