DEVON AND SOMERSET. 351 



Here frost and rain, wind and sunshine have 

 done their work, and turned to powder the 

 clay and has, which the waves have long ago 

 worn down to their present conformation. 



All below him is sheer and sudden death : in 

 front and beyond him on the crest some thirty 

 feet above a scarlet coated figure suddenly 

 appears looking down upon him : he turns, his 

 foothold gives, everything slides and rushes : 

 the rocks leap up to meet him, and he drops 

 head foremost with one gasp to instant death. 



Meanwhile from afar there has been following 

 the chase by green and bumpy hill tracks, by 

 lanes and roads and accommodation farmways 

 a long, low broomsquire's cart which presently 

 finds a way down to the rocky beach, and with 

 all that remains of a gallant stag on board, 

 returns laboriously to the hard high road, by 

 which to convey the venison to such destiny as 

 the master shall appoint. " Trugg " Rich is the 

 owner of the Quantock venison cart ; and with 

 unfailing skill has contrived for many years to 

 be up at the death or soon after whenever 

 hounds have set up their deer. He has carted 

 as many as three dead deer at once, and has 

 followed some notable runs, often arriving at 

 the finish as quickly as the field. Many a 

 passenger has "Trugg" had upon the some- 

 what insecure bench that does duty for a seat 

 on his vehicle, and if one be young and active 



