DEVON AND SOMERSET. 357 



Steart Common from the fury of the winter 

 gales. At this precise spot, the only road 

 leading to the village of Steart has since been 

 washed away by the encroachment of the sea, 

 and the inhabitants have been cut off more or 

 less from the rest of the world. 



Midway between the Quantocks and the 

 home countrv lies the town of Watchet, where 

 a strange adventure once happened to a 

 Slowley hind. While the pack was running 

 another deer, a few hounds followed this lucky 

 animal to the cliffs between Blue Anchor and 

 Watchet, where she took to the sea, and 

 swimming a long way out was eventually 

 secured alive and none the worse for her 

 immersion by certain Watchet boatmen. Instead 

 of at once notifying the Hunt of her capture, 

 these good men locked her up in safe quarters 

 in the town, and proceeded to demand a ran- 

 som of four pounds, oblivious of the fact that 

 all hunted deer are the property of the master. 

 Negotiations ensued in the course of which the 

 boatmen were duly informed of their false 

 position, and were offered the usual recompense 

 of half a sovereign for taking the hind. After 

 some demur a compromise was effected for 

 the sum of fifteen shillings, the hind to be 

 delivered safe and well on a certain Monday 

 morning, when a crate was to be sent for 

 her conveyance to fresh fields and pastures 



