140 GUN, RIFLE, AND HOUND. 



writers call "beasts of sweet chace," such as the deer 

 and the hare, should leave so much stronger a scent 

 than the " beasts of stinking chace," such as the fox 

 and the badger. 



Turning to the huntsman, we find that until 1892 

 the horn had been for many years in the hands of 

 Arthur Heal, who certainly knows more of the wiles 

 of the hunted deer and of the method of hunting 

 it than any man living. Even at three-score years 

 and ten he was in his own country 



" A rum 'un to follow, a bad 'un to beat." 



But the fatigues of the long days, which often extend 

 to twelve hours in the saddle, proved too much for him 

 at last, and he resigned the horn into the hands of his 

 whip, Anthony Huxtable, whose first season has gone 

 far to show that he will be no unworthy successor. 



The Mastership, which had been held for so 

 many years by Mr. Bisset whose personal exertions, 

 seconded by those of " Parson Jack Russell " and 

 Mr. Froude Bellew, did so much for the Devon and 

 Somerset Stag Hunt passed at his death to Mr. 

 Charles H. Basset, of Watermouth Castle, a Devon- 

 shire man born and bred, and formerly an officer in 

 the Royal Navy. Mr. Basset having had the mis- 

 fortune to lose his hand, his accession to office 

 brought about the singular coincidence that both the 

 Masters of Hounds hunting the wild deer in England 

 were one-handed men.* 



The last official of the Hunt whom it will be 

 * Both have resigned since these words were written. 



