248 STAGHUNTING WITH THE 



from the southern slopes of Dunkery to supply 

 Timberscombe and Dunster. 



Intense heat and glare and abundant dust 

 and a plague of horse flies are what one expects 

 at the great Dunster meet, and so different is 

 the climate down here at sea level that deer 

 hunting seems a very different matter from 

 what it did but a few days before on the 

 towering heights of Dunkery or Hawkcombe 

 Head. Dunster Park lends itself particularly 

 to the chase of the wild red deer ; nowhere 

 is the chase seen to greater advantage than 

 here upon the short turf of the undulating 

 knolls that sweep down towards the Castle 

 lawns. Between the ancient oak stems some 

 Slowley stag of square and ponderous haunch 

 gallops with stately stride past a wondering 

 herd of fallow buck, whose ancestors perhaps 

 were brought from Normandy by Baron Mohun, 

 then comes the distant cry of the pursuing 

 pack, the silverv twanging of the huntsman's 

 horn and in a trice the glade is full of rushing 

 forms. The park deer scurry in wild alarm 

 to right and left, the great hounds stride on 

 upon the red deer's foil, and bestow no glance 

 or thought upon the herd of small stuff, which 

 might well distract their attention as they 

 pass before them in easy view. The scarlet 

 coats press on beside the racing pack, the field 

 canters down the easy slope of turf, that is 



