CHAPTER VIII 



THE MASTERSHIP OF STAGHOUNDS 



Lord Coventry — The wild red deer — The Rev. John 

 Russell — Exmoor — The Devon and Somerset — Sir John 

 Amory's — Mr. Bisset — Mr. Sanders — Mr. Stanley — The 

 Quantocks — Kindness of Masters — The uncarted deer 

 — Mr. Stratton — Abolition of the Royal Buckhounds — 

 rheir history — Lord Ribblesdale's view — Charles Davis 

 — Dick Christian on thoroughbreds — Lord Ribblesdale 

 on hunting dress — On the Master in the field — And on 

 ladies in the field 



After much thought, and after seeking advice of 

 sportsmen who are competent from experience to give 

 their opinions on stag-hunting in regard to both its 

 branches, I have come to the conclusion that this 

 chapter should be divided into two sections. In the 

 first section I propose to discuss the pursuit of the 

 wild red deer on Exmoor and the Quantocks, and in 

 the second section to discuss riding after the uncarted 

 deer. Both sports come under the definition of Stag- 

 hunting, though the two sports are dissimilar in many 

 respects, and require different quahfications, so far as 

 Mastership is concerned. 



" Trahit sua quemque voluptas." 



I do not intend to draw any comparisons between 



