42 THE SPORT OF KINGS 



of deer in the country than there was when it came 

 in ; for the red deer, if he does not molest the 

 hen roosts or run off with a newly dropped 

 lamb, plays fine havoc with a field of turnips and 

 a field of corn or an orchard ; your stag being an 

 especially dainty feeder, and the best of everything 

 good enough for him. Two days a week was 

 what had to satisfy stag-hunters till 1878, since 

 which date, save from August to October 1883, 

 when they hunted four days a week, they have 

 hunted three days a week. And yet, though the 

 country has been diligently hunted, deer have 

 increased to such an extent that Sir John Amory 

 has started another pack with which to hunt the 

 outskirts of the country, and excellent sport he 

 showed last season, which was his first. And still 

 the deer increase, so Mr. Sanders has determined 

 on hunting four days a week this season, taking 

 the horn one day himself. 



Never, perhaps, since the Devon and Somerset 

 Staghounds were known by that name, has the 

 general outlook been so bright as it was at the 

 opening of the season of 1898. A popular Master, 

 a skilful huntsman, an excellent pack of hounds, 

 visitors and natives keen on the sport to a man, 

 and everywhere plenty of deer — everything indeed 

 looks couleur de rose. Yet is there a cloud, " a little 

 cloud, no bigger than a man's hand," but one which 

 may grow till it blots out stag-hunting altogether. 

 A syndicate of Welsh speculators propose to con- 

 struct a light railway from Minehead to Lynton, 

 which will run right across Exmoor, and which 

 will render stag-hunting impossible. They abso- 

 lutely talk about making a station at Waters' 

 Meet. And no one wants the railway ; everv 



