294 CHASE OF THE WILD RED DEER 



at the back of the Warren. She crossed up over Pray- 

 way and Blackpits for the Chains, and now backed it 

 for Brendon, and ran the coverts for an hour. She now 

 broke over Brendon Common for Badgworthy ; turned 

 up Longcombe, and by Pinford bog reached the Warren, 

 where she was roused ; now broke for Clovenrocks, and 

 by Windstitching sought the river Barle ; having soiled, 

 she broke to the left, as if making for the Northmolton 

 coverts ; but before reaching Emmett's, turned for 

 Wintershead and Ferneyball, and crossed the Sherdon 

 stream on to Withypoole Common, and crossing Hawk- 

 ridge Common to Huntercombe Corner, went down the 

 valley to the Barle below Ashway Hat ; the pace, after 

 crossing the Simonsbath road at Clovenrocks, was such 

 that none of the field could live with the hounds, and 

 as no sportsman was up when they came to water, they 

 lost the deer ; and it is to be hoped this gallant animal 

 will live to produce many a good stag to be, in years 

 yet to come, as enduring as herself. The weather on 

 this day was very hot, but the scent was not affected by 

 a broiling sun. Exmoor was never better to ride over, 

 but the pace was terrific. 



April "J th, 185S. — This day ran a hind from Haddon ; 

 and after three parts of an hour she was fresh found by 

 the pack close to Pixton Park ; the hounds viewed her 

 through the covert, and she was so frightened, that in 

 making a leap of about fifteen feet to get to the river 

 she missed her footing, fell on her chest, and so disabled 

 herself, that she could go no further. It is very unusual 

 for a deer to injure itself thus in leaping. 



May \st. — Cloutsham, famed as the best fixture for a 

 good gallop over the open, was fixed on for this 



