DR. COLLYNS 4O3 



in professional sable, but who yesterday was in brown cords 

 with such a pair of tops as Noah might have worn in the Ark 

 and had not been fairly well-used since. I then went to see 

 Karslake's house and was introduced to his brother John, also 

 a barrister, and both of Devonshire extraction, and liked their 

 quarters, at the "White Hart," much better than ours at the 

 " Red Lion. " 



On Saturday afternoon we rode to and slept at Exford, a 

 wild and picturesque village on Exmoor and on Monday had a 

 very rough, wet and stormy ride over Exmoor, by Brendon to 

 the comfortable quarters of the "Castle" Hotel at Lynton, 

 kept by Thomas Baker, where we stayed a week, riding each 

 day in the picturesque neighbourhood, which we much enjoyed, 

 and having another day with the stag from Yard Down, after 

 Barnstaple Fair. The stag was not turned down as is 

 customary on this occasion, but was found." {Here follows 

 account of day.) 



Mr. Vickerman still continued to hunt with the Surrey Stag- 

 hounds whose opening meet he thus describes : — 



Tuesday, October 19th, 1852, This was the first day's 

 regular hunting and a breakfast was given by our young Master, 

 Arthur Heathcote, at his delightful residence for a sportsman, 

 " The Durdans ; " my neighbour and tenant, Roger Eykyn, 

 drove me thither, he finding the horse and I the cart. Eykyn 

 hunted last season with the foxhounds, but I persuaded him to 

 join the staghounds and we rode over in August to see the 

 kennels and gladdened the Master's heart by paying our 

 subscription in advance. The breakfast was a very good one, 

 great plenty and excellent style, and the affair went off well, 

 including a subscription for Huntsman and whip for last season 

 and the present. The presence of the ladies and the red 

 coats in the dining room quite made the fine old house look 

 alive, while the park-like scene and fine timber, the continuous 

 range of stables, riding-school and kennels, and the well- 

 timbered paddock, leading to the saddling paddock, which 

 opens on to the racecourse and where they now run in, formed 

 altogether a very enviable abode. Yet Mr. Heathcote, 

 apparently not more than 23, lives here as a bachelor, seems to 

 see very little society and is so diffident that it required all the 

 persuasion of Simpson and Shaw to induce him to give the 

 breakfast, which helps to keep up an enthusiasm without which 

 hunting flags and all the expenses fall on the Master. (Here 

 follows the run of one honr and forty minutes ivith the " Horley 

 ' Hindf ) 



