The Stars of the West 321 



formulated for North Devon. Even the Master-and- 

 Huntsman of the Stars of the West does not sport 

 pink. A couple of hard-working whips don the 

 orthodox colour. But an active driving pack know 

 just as well where the horn- carrier is — and what he 

 wants of them — as if he wore a coat of many hues. 

 You will gather that another great point, beyond easy 

 riding, may be counted among the advantages of 

 western hunting — Economy to wit. Not only will a 

 horse come out quite twice as often as in a jumping 

 country ; but your own dress requires neither lavish 

 expenditure at starting, nor the assistance of an 

 expensive valet to keep it on a par with the toilets 

 around you. Thus a heavy strain is taken off both 

 purse and mind. The former is called upon to play a 

 very light part; the latter is not distressed between 

 the rival claims of Bartley and Thomas, turns with 

 relief from Tautz to the village tailor, and expands 

 comfortably under the tweed shooting-coat that does 

 duty for the ^'^ extra superfine scarlet,^' with its many 

 other extras of '^ silk linings, hunt-buttons,^^ &c. 

 And so we arrive at the conclusion that Devon, and 

 its next neighbour, are the counties for sport, economy, 

 comfort, and nerve that is at all doubtful. 



Lynton (with Lynemouth), Porlock, and South 

 Molton are the spots on the circumference of the 

 country that a visitor might best choose, to combine 

 stag-hunting with foxhunting and healthy western air. 

 Barnstaple is within reach of the Moor, but is 

 scarcely a hunting quarter ; and Minehead is more 

 within Mr. LuttrelPs domain. From the three places 

 I have named, all the best meets of the Devon and 



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