356 STAGHUNTING WITH THE 



a choppy sea in most approved fashion, and 

 amongst rocks will behave quite as well as a 

 boat of ordinarv make. 



On another occasion a hind was driven from 

 the Quantocks in Mr. Basset's mastership and 

 obtained a start of two hours on her pursuers, 

 she was sufficiently frightened, however, to 

 cross the Stowey Vale, and carry on by 

 Fiddington and Knaplock to Hill House. 

 Here she sank to the marshes of the Steart 

 level, and taking to the Parret near the Powder- 

 house, swam far and fast down stream, until 

 she found herself amongst the quicksands off 

 Steart village, and felt inclined to come ashore. 

 A bitterlv cold north west wind was blowing 

 and a baker's cart, turned round with its back 

 to the gale, was made to do duty as a shelter 

 for two individuals who kept watch on her 

 through a glazed peephole at the back, until 

 she came ashore. A Scotch deerhound had 

 by this time arrived upon the scene, and made 

 a dash at her from the muddy foreshore, but 

 tired though she was, the nature of the ground 

 was in her favour and she escaped the rush 

 of the long legged hound. 



A pack of harriers had also been sent for, 

 but when they arrived the hounds also put in 

 an appearance, and then a verv short scurry 

 brought the hind to a standstill in the nearest 

 rhine, behind the pebble beach which protects 



