272 CHASE OF THE WILD RED DEER 



directions ; a couple of hounds, however, stuck to him 

 and drove him through Haddon into Storridge Wood 

 and through it to Keenswood ; he broke from this over 

 Hill farm, and went up HoUerybottom towards Withiel ; 

 twelve couple of hounds were here brought up by the 

 huntsman, and ran him over Brendon Hill to Rawleigh 

 Cross. Very fast pace all over the open ; he now backed 

 it for Leigh Cliffs and through Treborough Wood to Road- 

 water ; turned to the right for Yard mills, and from this 

 to Orchard Portman near Williton, and on to Sampford 

 Brett, then to Whycombe, the seat of Thomas Luxton, 

 Esq., and waited in the pond for some time, but hearing 

 the hounds, broke from it before the pack came up, and 

 sought the Ouantock hills ; ran the coverts at Holford 

 and Alfoxton, and broke for Duke's plantation, and 

 from this reached Danesburrow. Here, although he was 

 viewed but a few minutes previous, it was thought advis- 

 able to stop the hounds, as daylight had disappeared, and 

 the moon did not afford sufficient light to continue the 

 chase. Out of a very large field ten sportsmen only who 

 left Haddon with the hounds witnessed the finish, many 

 never ascended the Ouantocks, and of those who did, at 

 least two-thirds found it impossible to keep up with the 

 hounds. 



April 2ird, 1845. — A first-rate gallop took place this 

 day from the Haddon woods. A deer, said to be a hind, 

 broke covert at Wind Corner ; the pack was laid on 

 on Haddon Hill, and within the hour the sportsmen found 

 themselves at Combe-Sydenham, in the parish of Stog- 

 umber, distance at least twelve miles. A long check 

 now took place, and most of the field left, thinking the 

 deer would not be recovered, but this was not so ; they 



