278 CHASE OF THE WILD RED DEER 



September i^th, 1849.— Dulverton the fixture ; a stag 

 was reported in the Hawkridge coverts ; the pack was 

 moved there. Tufted North Hawkridge and Mountsey 

 Castle; a one-horned deer was roused from Millham 

 Wood. (This deer the hounds had run twice before in 

 the Exmoor country.) He first broke as if for Winsford 

 Hill, but was blanched and turned back for the river 

 Barle, and waited until the tufters drove him from it ; he 

 now crossed Hawkridge ridge, for the Danesbrook, and 

 here again loitered, beating up stream, and then leaving 

 it for the long heath on Anstey Common, lay down ; it 

 was now supposed he must have been injured, either by 

 slug or ball, and many bets were offered that he did not 

 break from view of the pack ; he lay fast until the hunts- 

 man took the hounds close on him ; he now broke up over 

 the common to Vennford, in view, and passed over West 

 Anstey Common to Holland Common, as if to seek 

 shelter in the woods beyond. But disdaining these, he 

 turned to the right for Twitching Wood (leaving the 

 picturesque church on the right), he broke from it and 

 passed up over Northmolton Common, as if for Long- 

 wood, but skirted it, and by Yard Down reached the forest 

 of Exmoor, crossed Emmett's Hill, and by Mr. Smith's 

 farm reached the park above Simonsbath ; he now crossed 

 the Southmolton road for Cornham brake, and, just below 

 it, took the river Barle ; having soiled, he broke up over 

 Duredon for Blackpits, and crossed the Brendon road for 

 Prayway, and pointed as if making for Horner; now 

 turned to the left, leaving Badgworthy Wood to the 

 right, and passing over Brendon Common came to water 

 just above Millslade, he beat up stream and broke from 

 it opposite the Sportsman's Inn, and lay fast in a brake 



