THE PACK. 265 



to be greatly exaggerated, though it is quite possible 

 that if the pack was more dead beat than the hind 

 by the time she came to water a prolonged immer- 

 sion might have some ill-effect. But all these 

 theories as to pace are confirmed by the old saying 

 that if you hunted a young stag you only knocked 

 up men, hounds, and horses, and did not kill your 

 deer. The hounds of to-day can run up a deer of 

 any age, within a reasonable time, without putting 

 an undue strain upon themselves, though occa- 

 sionally they reduce all the horses to a standstill. 



To the account of the great Satterleigh Marsh 

 run, indubitably the best run with a stag that has 

 ever been recorded, there are appended the words : 

 " This was only a four-year-old deer, which accounts 

 for his running such a distance." This run was on 

 October 3rd, 181 5. The stag was found in the 

 head of Hollow Combe, above Sweet Tree, and the 

 pack laid on by Langcombe Head. The line lay by 

 Larkbarrow, Pinford, Honeymead, Cow Castle, over 

 the South Forest, Filedon Ridge, Darlick Enclosures, 

 Longwood, North Molton Church, to Vennwood 

 Bottom where the first check occurred. Then to 

 ^astle Hill Park and to water, where a long check 

 occurred. The stag was reported to be three- 

 quarters of an hour ahead, which shows the check 

 and the delay in hunting the water must have taken 

 up much time. Mr. Boyse, who seems to have cast 

 himself forward down the stream got a view of the 

 stag coming back, and hounds being laid on they 



