28o MEMOIR OF 



their ken, been one of the prominent features, 

 and to many the guiding star, of that gay and 

 brilliant meeting which, year after year, in- 

 augurates the opening-day on Cloutsham Ball ? 

 Nay, with his knowledge of the forest, extend- 

 ing as it does to every bridle-path and sheep- 

 track ; to every ford, clam, and safe crossing- 

 place during the stormiest state of the moorland 

 floods; to the readiest inlets and outlets of every 

 woodland combe from the Ouantock Hills to 

 Mole's Chamber — has he not scores of times 

 picked up the waifs and strays of the hunting- 

 field ; and then, as " guide, philosopher, and 

 friend," led them in their sorest need into safer 

 and happier grounds ? 



Yes! countless are the heroes and fair women, 

 too, who have been thrown out in that wild 

 chase, and who, but for his pilotage, knowledge 

 of the moor, and, above all, the experience he 

 has had in the running and wiles of the hunted 

 deer, would never have seen a hound again. It 

 is not very long since that a gentleman, better 

 versed in the intricate ways of the law than in 

 those of Exmoor, came down for a month's 

 hunting to Porlock. The first meet was at 

 Brendon Barton ; and the harbourer having 

 reported a "warrantable deer" in Parsonage 

 Wood, the tufters w^ere trotted off to that point, 

 and no sooner laid on than up jumped the 

 grand beast, breaking away in view by Fairleigh, 



