ii6 THE RED DEER OE EX MOOR. 



straightest run which a hnid has given for many a 

 long year past. Seven couple of hounds were sent 

 to the Deer Park to act as a relav if needful, while 

 the rest were taken westwards to Challacombe 

 Common. A herd of twenty-five hinds were lying in 

 the soft ground near Chapman's Barrows ; they 

 jumped up at once on the approach of hounds, and 

 raced away through a downpour of rain to Sadler's 

 Stone, where two hinds separated from the herd 

 and went over " The Chains." The pack was 

 stopped from the herd, and transferred to the line 

 of the two hinds, soon disappearing over the 

 impassable swamps of Winnaw'ay. Riders kept on 

 the sound going below, and crossing Cheriton Ridge 

 had the satisfaction of seeing the pack swinging 

 towards them and heading straight for Brendon 

 Two Gates. The scent was good, and the deer 

 only just in front of hounds as they came down to 

 Badgworthy. Here the hinds separated and the 

 pack divided, a few hounds running a deer which 

 went down the water, and was eventually killed at 

 Oare, Mr. Greig, who was acting Field Master, and 

 Sidney being with them, thus missing the great 

 gallop which those with the larger body of the pack 

 were enjoying ; but this is frequently the fate of the 

 whip, and even at times of the Master when hunting 

 several hinds. Meantime Mr. Sanders, with the body 

 of the pack and the relay, was speeding across the 

 Deer Park and Stowford for Blackbarrow, Luccott 

 Moor, and Nutscale. Heavy storms drifted over the 



