1/2 CHASE OF THE WILD RED DEER 



to have charms for him, if he is not merely a rider, 

 but a sportsman to boot. The present Duke of 

 Beaufort, encouraged and animated by a run with 

 the staghounds which his Grace and his huntsman, 

 Clarke, among a select few, witnessed in the autumn 

 of 1859 from Sweet Tree Wood, under Dunkerry, 

 right across the forest, with a kill in Farleigh Coombe, 

 accepted an invitation to Lord Poltimore's seat at 

 Court Hall, near North Molton, and in the spring of 

 the present year brought his lady pack down to try 

 conclusions with the Moor foxes over the open. 

 Unfortunately the boisterous weather, during His 

 Grace's brief sojourn, in a great measure marred the 

 sport, and the show of ' noses,' at the end of the 

 week, was by no means such as was hoped for, or 

 such as under more favourable circumstances might 

 have been added to the trophies on the kennel doors. 

 May I be excused for giving utterance to a word 

 of caution to those who, either in quest of sport, 

 health, scenery, recreation, or with any other object, 

 pay a visit to our country ? It is a warning against 

 lending a willing ear to certain fustian-coated, ' early 

 morning ' looking gentry, who, for a consideration 

 of from five to ten pounds, may offer to provide you 

 with a stag's head, or horns, to take back with you 

 as a trophy from the West. An assent to the pro- 



