/IDasters ot tbe Bev^on an^ Somerset 447 



of The Field at the time of Mr Bisset's death : — 

 'About the year 1873, the hounds drove a stag from 

 Withypool, in the south-eastern corner of the district, 

 far westward from the forest of Dartmoor. The pace 

 was tremendous. On they went from one end to the 

 other, and finally, bearing right handed, lost their deer in 

 the sea by Forlock Weir. For over twenty miles the 

 pack had raced without a check, and had at last disap- 

 peared from all. One who had struggled to a stand- 

 still finally found himself in Porlock village, and there 

 heard that an hour before hounds had passed close by 

 towards the sea. He jumped on a pony to find out the 

 end, reflecting with no little satisfaction that he would 

 get to the finish — never mind when — and that after all 

 there would be no one but himself to determine the 

 time. On he went as fast as he could kick his pony 

 along, scrambled to the top of the rough beach, and 

 there, a few yards below, by the incoming tide, stood the 

 stalwart form of Mr Bisset surrounded by his hounds, 

 and watching through his glasses the deer swimming 

 safely away in the far distance.' 



Another instance equally remarkable occurred on the 

 7th of September 1875. A stag was found in East 

 Down Wood (Bray), and killed in two hours and five 

 minutes at Poole Bridge, after a run of about twenty miles 

 from end to end of the moor. Only seven were at the 

 end, but among them was Mr Bisset, who, being unable 

 to ride much, had driven by Simonsbath and the 

 Warren, and ridden the last two miles over Lucott 

 Moor. Instinctively he took the chord of the arc, and 

 was in at the end, though without seeing a hound for 

 twelve miles. 



' Towards the end of his Mastership,' says the Hon. 



