DEVON AND SOMERSET. 163 



ferns in Sweetery, and he doubles short back 

 into Allercombe. Now all hopes of a forest 

 run are over and done with. It will be Cut- 

 combe or Horner, or, at best, the sea in 

 Porlock Bay. See, yonder he goes over those 

 green swamps at the head of Hollowcombe ; 

 how his head spreads and branches ; and how 

 grey the dying velvet looks in the sunlight ! 

 Now he bounds over the road and goes striding 

 away round the shoulder of the hill, as if for 

 Huntscott or Annicombe. Now let us get up 

 to the road and give our horses a moment's 

 breathing space, for the hounds will be here in 

 a few minutes, and we mav have to cross the 

 graveyard at best speed. Here come the tirst 

 ten couple ; now give them room and come 

 along. Mind that blind watercourse ; hold him 

 up over that clitter of stones ; don't ride across 

 in front of each other, prettv ladies, if vou can 

 help it. Now the hounds tiing downwards ; 

 that's Luccombe Allers there below. Look at 

 those two sheep-dogs coursing the stag down 

 there by Holt Ball. Poor beast ! he is pressed 

 hard enough as it is. Now he fiies for 

 Wytchanger, and gains the shelter of the 

 Luccombe Plantations, but with one hound 

 pressing after him. In the old roadway Mr. 

 Chorley views him, and Michael is stopped till 

 the pack come up, and then it's "forrard on" 

 again, through the acres and acres of tall Scotch 



