194 STAGHUNTING WITH THE 



through the moorhind streams. At one point 

 just short of Flexburrow the stag had a moment's 

 thought of Hole Water and turned up a long 

 fernv combe, but he knew far more country 

 than one expected, and must have passed from 

 Exe head to the Barle before, for although hard 

 pressed, he still had time to choose his wav, 

 and did so with a will which would have saved 

 him times over on any day when the scent 

 was less burning or hounds less equal to their 

 work. 



Some hfteen stags of greater and less degree 

 had worked their wicked will on a turnip held 

 on Hawkridge Ridge on Wednesday night, so 

 that Whiterocks was alive with deer when the 

 tufters were thrown in, and a general scattering 

 of the herd took place. Some headed one way 

 and some another, but this gallant stag came 

 round by Birch Cleave to Three Waters and 

 hung al^out amongst the thickest of the fern as 

 though loth to go. A great fern frond hung 

 all across his antlers as with swift bounds he 

 fled from the leading tufter past Three Waters. 

 The master and Anthonv conferred awhile, and 

 then the former went for the kennelled pack 

 to East Hollowcombe and brought them to the 

 scene of action. Anthony trotted them quietly 

 down to the foil just half an hour after the 

 stag had passed, and at ten minutes past one 

 the cry began which was onlv to end at Glen- 



