310 STAGHUNTING WITH THE 



those that radiate from Simonsbath, and they 

 do not exactly serve for Minehead, whence the 

 majority of staghunters come. Being aU open 

 going, with only occasional soft spots and 

 uncrossable combes, the moor is practically all 

 roads for the well mounted horseman, but a ten 

 minute's scurry over the drainage gutters of the 

 Chains or the North Forest seems to effect a 

 wonderful change in the ideas of the majority 

 of the held. To be actuallv on the Chains 

 is the darling ambition of many a young lady 

 wiiose hrst or second season on the moor has 

 so far not brought her acquainted with this great 

 green wilderness of swamps and gutters and 

 lonelv sheep pastures. If there be anything 

 especiallv attractive in labouring over a swamp 

 that is somewhat swampier than the other 

 swamps around, it may be enjoyed to the full 

 on the heights of the Chains inclosure, which 

 attracts the lion share of the rain that falls from 

 the Atlantic clouds, as they sail majestically in 

 to break where they hrst touch land. Rough 

 and uncomfortable is the going on the wettest 

 parts of Exmoor, and exceedingly exhausting 

 even to the best of horses, and the traps and 

 pitfalls are very numerous in places. 



Where the sheep bite a horse can gallop ; 

 where there is heather, or heather mixed with 

 grass he should be able to gallop too : where 

 there are ferns there is sound going, but where 



