336 THE RED DEER OF EXMOOR. 



Longstone Bog stopped many blown horses, and 

 beyond that point there were very few riders with 

 hounds as they went down over the enclosed country 

 to Parracombe, where the deer was halloaed down 

 the stream. From here it was a race down the 

 water to Folley Wood, close above Heddonsmouth, 

 in the parish of Trentishoe, where the stag stood to 

 bay and was killed. This is certainly one of the 

 best runs which has been seen from Cloutsham in 

 modern times, and is fully equal to almost any of 

 the runs recorded in history. Very few were in at 

 the death, and many failed to get home. Martinhoe, 

 Combe Martin, and Lynton were full of dead- 

 beat horses, more than one of which died in the 

 night. 



The first and last days of the staghunting season 

 of 1905 produced runs of more than ordinary merit. 

 The opening day was a poor one for foot and carriage 

 people ; it rained as it only can rain in and around 

 Exmoor. Two stags went away from Sweet Tree 

 after hounds had been drawing a short time ; what 

 they were it was hard to say, for an extra heavy 

 storm was sweeping over the moor at the moment. 

 Probably the pack, which was brought on at once, 

 settled on the line of the smaller deer ; but be this as 

 it may, they rattled over the hill as if for Godsend, 

 swung round right-handed, and ran as hard as ever 

 they could drive to Oare Vicarage ; about an eight- 

 mile point without a check all the way. Here 

 hounds lost the deer, which beat them by lying down 



