342 THE RED DEER OF EXMOOR. 



Still, when one comes to look back over the records 

 of sport, one is driven to admit that Haddon deer 

 are stout and strong, and that many a long hunting 

 run and not a few brilliant gallops have resulted from 

 rousing a stag beside the Haddeo. In old days 

 Haddon stags continually ran to Slowley and vice 

 versa, and now that the iron works on Brendon and 

 the mineral railway are - abandoned, they are 

 beginning to travel this line again ; most of the land 

 is now enclosed and one has to go gate hunting, but 

 none the less a very pretty hunting run may be seen 

 over this line. 



The general run of Haddon deer is by Baron's 

 Down to the Exe Valley, and if hounds are lucky 

 enough to force their deer away towards the Barle, a 

 capital gallop over the heather is the result ; 

 especially is this likely to happen late in the season, 

 when the deer, W'hich earlier in the year have lain in 

 the upper part of the Barle, have congregated in 

 Haddon, as their custon is, in October. Then when 

 there is a meet at Haddon the villagers at Withypool, 

 twelve miles off, are always on the look-out to see 

 the field galloping hard over Bradley Ham towards 

 the Barle. At Haddon, more often, perhaps, than at 

 any other covert, it is the unexpected that happens, 

 and deer have been killed at the Castle of Comfort, 

 Nether Stowey, after going by Slowley and Donniford ; 

 at Woolston Moor ; at Bathealton, near Cruwys 

 Morchard ; at Withleigh Mill ; at Halberton ; twice 

 at Emmet's Granofe ; at Flexboroue^h ; at Orchard 



