TROUBLOUS TIMES. 297 



after the cause which originally led to its abandon- 

 ment has been removed, and it is only within the last 

 few years that deer have taken once more to using 

 the South Forest. 



It must not be inferred that Mr. John Knight was 

 inimical to staghunting, quite the contrary, and he 

 was one of the subscribers to the hunt when the old 

 pack was sold. As deer preservers he and his son, 

 the late Sir Frederick Knight, were particularly 

 zealous and loyal to the hunt. 



For two years after the sale of the hounds there 

 was no staghunting, and poaching prevailed to such 

 an extent that in a very short time the herd would 

 have been exterminated had it not been for the 

 enterprise of Sir Arthur Chichester, of Youlstone, 

 who in 1827 got together a pack of draft foxhounds, 

 and hunted the country till 1833. Then ensued 

 another Interregnum, and poaching again was rife 

 till 1837, when, by the exertions of Dr. C. Palk 

 Collyns, a subscription pack was got together which 

 hunted nominally under a committee, but really 

 under Dr. Collyns, till 1841, when the Hon. Newton 

 Fellowes took the Mastership till 1847 ! ^"^ ^^^ 

 resignation he was succeeded by Sir Arthur 

 Chichester for one year. Mr. Theobalds then 

 brought his pack of hounds for tw^o months from 

 Cheltenham in 1849, but though accustomed to 

 carted deer they had little success. In 1850 Mr. 

 Luxton, of Winleigh, provided a pack and fair sport 

 for a season, but gave way to Captain West, whose 



