DEVON AND SOMERSET. 195 



thorne. The chase was now begun; but the 

 swift part of it was not yet awhile, the Hne 

 had to be hunted through Row Down and 

 South Barton, and there was a check at the 

 water under the Rectory, whereby Anthony 

 made it good against Ashway Side and then 

 cast up the water beyond Torr Steps. 



Then all of a sudden the wooded valley of 

 the Barle rang out with music, and that of no 

 uncertain sound, for the stag had dallied, and 

 hounds were at him with a vengeance, so that 

 the welkin rang again with their loud-mouthed 

 challenge. In a trice he was away all up the 

 long line of the West Water and away beyond, 

 leaping gates and fences in his haste to gain the 

 lonely firs of Lord's Plantation. Knee-deep in 

 heather and grass and whortleberry, the fore- 

 most of the field went on in a hurrying string, 

 guided by that eager cry which left no manner 

 of doubt which way it was to be. Lush and 

 green and yielding, the surface of old Barrow 

 Down is poor galloping ground, but Withypool 

 Common is better, and the further they went 

 the better it still became. 



With Porchester Post on the left and 

 Knighton Combe still nearing, hounds streamed 

 away in right gallant style, as if tied to him. 

 Heads up and sterns down, ears laid back by 

 the breeze, was the order of the day ; nothing 

 to stop or turn them, only the breast high 



