192 STAGHUNTING WITH THE 



that when there is a small field out, and 

 indifferent sport is expected, then the great run 

 will come, and the over particular and the fair 

 w^eather sportsman will not be there. 



A field of about one hundred saw the 

 beginning of this memorable run, and less than 

 twenty saw^ the finish, for unless one got a 

 flying start, and unless one took the right turn 

 every time, there was little hope of making up 

 lost ground, for even the best conditioned horses 

 had all they could do to live with hounds 

 through the first two hours, while they drove 

 with eager cry across the limitless expanses of 

 southern and northern Exmoor. This stag had 

 a weakness for running the line of the forest 

 streams, although keeping high above them for 

 the most part on the grassy tabledands and 

 fern covered slopes, but with one eye on the 

 water all the way. So great was the pace that 

 he never gained much distance on the hounds, 

 and the field got many a view of him striding 

 on before his fast coming foes, with head held 

 high and neck set straight, in this his long 

 wild gallop which never seemed to falter or to 

 tire, and which led him on and on for mile 

 after mile, avoiding steep ascents and leading 

 straight from point to point with only two 

 coverts touched, and those tiny ones between 

 North Barton Wood and Cheriton. 



Many veterans will call to mind a run in the 



