78 THE RED DEER OE EXMOOR. 



at Cloutsham in October, 1905, that hounds ran 

 fairly fast through covert on a somewhat catchy 

 scent round by Pool Bridge and Bell Wood, and 

 came back into Horner on two or three lines. The 

 whole covert was alive with deer — it always is in 

 October — and affairs looked hopeless, when word 

 was brought that two tufters had slipped away with 

 the hunted stag across the vale by Luccombe to 

 Selworthy about half-an-hour before. 



The pack was laid on at least three-quarters of an 

 hour behind them, and made very slow work of it 

 through Sir Thomas Acland's ilex woods, but 

 quickened up a bit as they ran to Tivington. The 

 stunted furze on Grabhurst reduced us to a walk — 

 and a slow one at that. In the Dunster Coverts we 

 picked up one of the tufters, and, running on by 

 Monkham Wood, came on the other working the 

 water which runs down to Roadwater. A long and 

 patient cast beside the stream was rewarded with a 

 fast ten minutes and a fighting kill by Chargot — a 

 big stag with one of the best heads of the season. 

 It was a beautifully patient bit of hound work lasting 

 for hours, and only wanted pace to have made it 

 perfect. It was about 11.30 when that stag was 

 found, and it was pitch dark as we crossed Lype 

 Common on our way home. 



