82 THE RED DEER OF EXMOOR. 



stag, with hounds not far behind him, on the ridge 

 in front, and an ever-increasing interval between the 

 leading horseman and the tail hound. This gallant 

 stag stood to bay where a fender runs across Horner 

 Stream, just above the Mill, in one hour and forty 

 minutes from the find, the distance being nineteen 

 miles. Fourteen sorely blown horses were gathered 

 round, and it was a good ten minutes before another 

 horse came up. He was a fighting stag who knocked 

 hounds about a good deal, and that veteran stag- 

 hunter, Sir William Karslake, who had gone well up 

 throughout, had a narrow escape from injury in a 

 gallant attempt to capture him. This deer certainly 

 did not have more than five or six minutes' law. 



Another remarkable instance of how a deer that 

 seems inclined to hang about can go when bustled is 

 afforded by the great Hawkridge run to Glenthorne, 

 September 14th, 1899 The stag was pressed 

 sharply bv the tufters, but the moment they w^ere 

 stopped he went down to the Barle and soiled, 

 trotted leisurely over Ash way Ham, soiled again, 

 went on to Tarr Steps, following the water some way, 

 and in the covert above Tarr Steps lay fast till 

 hounds were right up to him. Even then, though 

 scent w^as of the best, he did not seem in a hurry, for 

 he went up to Lord's Plantation, looking for other 

 deer, but, finding none, he went away, only just in 

 front of hounds, over Withypool Common, and soiled 

 in the big pool by Sherdon Hutch. 



He only left the water when hounds were close to 



