THE NEW F^OREST DEERHOUNDS 273 



broken — almost dangerous to horses, except that the old 

 ruts and hoof-marks rather crumbled when galloped upon. 

 The Forest ponies, by the way, though as yet looking 

 rough in their unshed coats, seemed in excellent case after 

 a favourable winter and adequate care. I am told — I 

 suppose with some reason — that many of the commoners 

 still cling to forest-bred sires in preference to the stallions 

 of higher class that have been liberally introduced into 

 the district. Possibly the produce of the former may be 

 hardier. It is difficult to see in what other respect any 

 superiority can be claimed for them. 



To seek game for the day, hounds were taken into 

 the low, thick woodlands that are growing pine for the 

 Government — that some day, we hope, may be cleared to 

 give place to the oak saplings in their midst, and that 

 some day, again, may allow all the Forest to be galloping- 

 ground. It was long ere the game was forthcoming ; but 

 Moonstone and Hermit (the tufters) at length had their 

 quarry afoot ; the pack were uncoupled, and the chase 

 began. The heat, of course, was almost overwhelming : 

 but it is a very different thing asking hounds to run at 

 their very fittest — in April, with the ground clear of 

 undergrowth and their own ribs bereft of fat — to calling 

 upon them in autumn among the overwhelming bracken. 

 There was little scent ; and the chosen buck did his best 

 to confuse them by doubling back among his comrade ; 

 while, headed by Allen, we galloped hither and thither 

 among the rided labyrinths of Stubby, Park Hill, and 

 Ramnor. At length the chase, as is usual, I believe, 

 crossed the main road — Brockenhurst to Lyndhurst — 

 and one deer, hard pressed, sought the Lymington water, 

 another buck at the same time being hard run in the 

 original coverts. The hunt, by New Park into Rhine- 

 fields (another of these gigantic coverts), was fast and 

 stirring — stretching five miles as a point — but nothing 

 came of it, except the discovery, after two hours' hot 

 work, that we were running too many deer. And here 

 my story of the day ends. 



On the Monday previous Captain Lovell had brought 

 off his last stag-hunt, and signalised the occasion by killing 



S 



