DEVON AND SOMERSET. 41 



mere babbling streams, and their neighbours 

 Exe and Barle have but few pools worthy of 

 the name throughout many miles of their higher 

 reaches. 



But the deer know well where the deepest 

 swims are to be found, for they are hot-blooded, 

 thirsty creatures, and go down to drink and roll 

 in the limpid streams each night as soon as 

 darkness falls, and again finish up their nightly 

 wanderings with a bath in some sequestered 

 mud-pit as a slight protection doubtless against 

 their enemies the flies. 



As the dreaded cry and the echo of the 

 relentless horn draws nearer and ever nearer, 

 the hunted stag trots wearily down the stony 

 river bed, leaving a tell-tale splash on the 

 rounded boulders, refreshed for the moment by 

 his bath but with lowered head, closed mouth 

 and heaving flank : then Sidney views him, and 

 the wooded valley, erstwhile so silent, suddenly 

 Alls with music as the pack comes hurrying 

 round the bend above, while the clatter of four 

 times a hundred iron shod hoofs upon the 

 stonv riverside track rises to the topmost oaks 

 on Ley Hill. Now some harvesters throw down 

 their pitchforks and run from the golden stubble 

 to the green meadows, and go yelling down the 

 yonder bank, for amongst West countrymen 

 those who cannot ride a-hunting dearly love to 

 be in at the death. Running in the water while 



