DEVON AND SOMERSET. 93 



view on foot the first stages of the huntsman's 

 work without wearying the back of the good 

 animal that is presently to carry one in a 

 stretching gallop to Badgworthy and beyond. 

 The green and purple hillside of Dunkery shews 

 plainly, if the light be fayourable, the red flank 

 of the galloping stag as he strides away toward 

 Langcombe Head, while the scarlet-coated 

 whipper-in bustles along to intercept the tufters 

 that are following in his wake, and then stops 

 and turns his horse's head towards the master, 

 who all this time has been attentively following 

 proceedings from a point high up on the Clouts- 

 ham side. Then if all be well and the stag is 

 warrantable the master will gallop down to 

 Cloutsham, the kennel doors will be thrown 

 wide open, and the held will come hurrying up 

 in close attendance on the eager pack, to thread 

 the dusty track from Cloutsham upwards towards 

 the moor until Stoke Ridge is reached and the 

 starting point of another moorland run is gained. 



