DEVON AND SOMERSET. 121 



down ; there are the hounds strugghng up 

 through the fern on the steep side of Badgvvorthy 

 Lees. Will they cross Lankcombe ? Well, we 

 can't w^ait to see I Down to the Doone Vallev 

 at full trot, splash through the rippling brown 

 water, fresh and full after last night's rain, 

 aw^ay by the Shepherd's Cott, and aw^ay at full 

 gallop over Withycombe Ridge. How lucky ! 

 there go the hounds across our front, from 

 right to left ; now we shall get on terms with 

 them, but we must navigate round the bog on 

 our left. Well done, gocd horse! you don't 

 seem to pull much now, do vou ? There are 

 those will-'o-the-wisps crossing Hoccombe Hill, 

 and that is surely Michael leading, fleetest of 

 them all. Now, will they turn down Hoccombe 

 Water, or will they turn up to Two Gates ! 

 Thank goodness, they are bending to the right, 

 and now we know that we are in for it, and 

 perhaps twenty more, and that the rest of the 

 goodly held that assembled at Culbone is simply 

 now^here. 



Going down the side of Clannon Ball thev 

 dwell for a moment where some sheep and 

 ponies have foiled the line, but soon set them- 

 selves right again, and dash over the Farlev 

 Water and away over Cheriton Ridge. Now 

 let us cannily follow Mr. Bathurst, the Master 

 of the Exmoor, who is sailing along on that 

 dark chestnut with the white star, for we have 



