$0 ON THE GRAMPIAN HILLS. 



boulders on their way to join the Exe. Away up the 

 steep hills, through the narrow lanes, stopping to pick 

 a spray of the beautiful wild honeysuckle, which 

 drooped gracefully from the tall hedgerow, admiring 

 the innumerable beautiful ferns that deck the banks, 

 and the beautiful foxgloves peeping out from amidst 

 them. Then Winsford Hill is reached, from which 

 there is a glorious view over the vast space of undu- 

 lating ground, visible as far as Dartmoor. 



At this season of the year the country usually 

 presents a brilliant appearance, the lovely hues of the 

 heather-bloom being the chief feature; this year of 

 cheerless weather, however, has sadly changed the 

 aspect of hills and dales, scarcely a handful of blossom 

 being visible. Then as I cantered quickly along I 

 overtook numbers of horsemen, and many in carriages, 

 -carts, and waggons, hastening to Hawkcombe : then 

 Exford was reached, where I halted for five minutes. 

 This place I found crowded, and I was prepared by 

 the signs on the road to find that Devon and Somerset 

 had come out literally in their thousands, clustering 

 on every hillside along the route which the Prince 

 was expected to traverse on his way to the fixture. 

 The pack, consisting of fifteen couples of fine hounds, 

 was on the hillside surrounded by a group of well- 

 known sportsmen, amongst whom were Mr. S. H. 

 Warren of Dulverton, the acting Master in the 

 absence of Mr. Mordaunt Fenwick Bissett, whose 

 absence was regretted greatly, more especially as it 

 was caused by the very recent death of his father, 

 Archdeacon Bissett; Mr. Fronde Bellew, the Master 

 of the well-known Dulverton Foxhounds, and Mrs. 

 Bellew, one of the boldest and best riders it has ever 



