DEVON AND SOMERSET. 145 



the first view halloa ; someone sees the stag 

 picking his way into Luccombe Alters, but 

 hounds are drawing nearer to him, this time 

 unaided. There comes a burst of music from 

 the shelter of the trees, and then they are off 

 over the Holnicote Vale, by way of Luccombe 

 Mill and Blackford, with their deer only just a 

 field or two ahead. Now they enter Road 

 Wood and cross a field with a stiff line of 

 hurdles in it as they enter Great Wood. The 

 pheasants fly in from the stubbles to right 

 and left as the sounds of the chase approach, 

 but hounds soon leave the wood again and bear up 

 for Cockerhills. Here their deer must have 

 waited for them, for a ding-dong chase began 

 along the southern slopes of the Great North 

 Hill by Old Brake and Wydon, and within a 

 field of Bratton Court hounds brought him to 

 a standstill at 4.35. He proved to be not over 

 heavy or fat, and his teeth evidenced great age. 

 Besides his twelve points he carried an ofi'er of 

 a thirteenth on his near top. A straighter necked 

 or a stouter hearted deer one need never wish 

 to see, and I trust Mr. Snow may keep many 

 such amongst his goodly herd for future years. 



From time to time certain deer become 

 known by some peculiarity of shape or colour, 

 and in spite of this disadvantage still contrive 

 to elude the huntsman's knife and attain a ripe 

 old age. As instances of this, many will recall 



