284 CHASE OF THE WILD RED DEER 



the Blacklands, and Hilltown farms, came to the river 

 Barle, and soiled just below Landacre bridge; he broke 

 from the river on to Withypoole hill, crossed it for 

 Hawkridge Common, leaving the plantation on his right, 

 and came to water on the Danesbrook below Lishill, and 

 beat down stream to Whiterocks, and down through 

 Durham Wood reached Buckminsterham, and again 

 went down the Barle river and broke from it under 

 Hynam into Shercombe Cleave, thence to Northmoor, 

 and crossed Old Berry farm for Combe ; beat down 

 to Brushford, and now entered the Exe river below 

 Newbridge. It was now almost impossible to distingush 

 the hounds, and they were stopped, daylight having dis- 

 appeared. Thus ended one of the best runs remembered 

 for many a long year, during which the pack ran their 

 deer into and through the following thirteen parishes, 

 viz. : — Upton, King's Brompton, Withiel, Treborough, 

 Luxborough, Exton, Winsford, Exford, Withypoole, 

 Hawkridge, East Anstey, Dulverton, and Brushford. 

 At least sixty miles were gone over in this chase. 



August I'^th, 1855. — The stag-hunting season com- 

 menced on this day, and as the following chase will 

 show, auspiciously. The fixture was Brendon Barton, 

 and the harbourer reported a brace of stags lying in the 

 North Forest. The hounds were ordered to the top of 

 Longcombe ; the deer had, however, moved into the next 

 valley towards Simonsbath ; here the rouse was magni- 

 ficent, both stags keeping together for at least six miles ; 

 they pointed first as if for Culbone, but on reaching 

 Oareford beat up the little water almost to Larkborough, 

 and broke over the enclosures for Exford Common, 

 turned to the left for Porlock Common, and on crossing 



