APPENDIX 273 



fresh found, and after a fast gallop of fourteen minutes 

 ran into a young male deer ; every effort was made to 

 save him, but he died during the night from exhaustion ; 

 this shows how necessary it is never to lay the pack on 

 unless you know for certain that the right deer to run 

 has been viewed away. 



September 26th. — After tufting Haddon Wood for three 

 parts of an hour a stag was roused ; he beat the woods 

 for a considerable time, but was eventually obliged to 

 leave them. He broke at Wind Corner on to Haddon 

 Hill, crossed Haddon farm, and by Buckleys reached 

 Pixey Copse ; broke from it for the Exe, and soiled just 

 below the Snap-Box ; beat down stream, and under 

 Perry broke from it for the river Barle, as if for Lang- 

 ridge, but turned to the left and backed it again by 

 Rocks and Hele farms for the Exe, above Highleigh Mill ; 

 went down to Oakford Weir, broke from it on the right for 

 the village of Oakford, and skirted it for Stoodley ; now 

 beat down the Ironmill water, but left it before reaching 

 the Exe, and passing through the coverts came to water 

 below Duvale ; went down the river nearly to Covebridge, 

 then broke out to the right, and having run the covert 

 half an hour, crossed the Exe into Custom Wood ; but 

 no deer could be found to assist him in these woods, and 

 all his crafty tricks would not serve ; the hounds were 

 determined to have him, and he was obliged again to 

 take shelter in the Exe, which he now found his best 

 security ; the river was full from the late rains, and for 

 more than an hour the pack and sportsmen surrounded 

 him, but could not get at him in consequence of the depth 

 and strength of the current. Many men attempted to 

 swim their horses, but failed to reach him ; at length on 



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