122 MEMOIR OF 



"Why?' said the farmer with whom I had 

 previously been talking. 



"'Because,' I replied, 'if a man had kicked 

 her I would have horsewhipped him on the 

 spot.' 



" ' You would find that a difficult job, if you 

 tried it,' was his curt answer. 



" I jumped off my horse, threw down my 

 whip, and said, 'Who's the man to prevent me?' 



" Not a word was spoken. I stood my 

 ground, and one by one the crowd retired, the 

 young farmer amongst the number ; and from 

 that day forward I secured for myself and suc- 

 cessors not only the goodwill and co-operation, 

 but the friendship, of some of the best fox- 

 preservers that the county of Devon, or any 

 other county, has ever seen." 



The names of a few are still to be found 

 in the parish of Beaford : viz., Hearn, Snell, 

 Arnold, Leverton ; and especially a well-to-do 

 farmer at Dolton, named Wadland, who, though 

 harriers were kept in his parish, preferred 

 hunting with fox-hounds ; and many a time, 

 as Russell relates, has he seen him and a white- 

 smith, called Heard, of Beaford, crossing and 

 recrossing the Torridge on foot and in the 

 depth of winter, following his hounds. Fox- 

 hunters both were to the backbone. 



After that event there can be little doubt 

 that the farmers, to' their . great credit, from one 



