24 THE SOUTH DEVON HI'XT 



arrangement with which the gate remained adorned 

 until within the last half-dozen years was erected 

 to deter imitators I 



Xot onlv was Templer the founder of the South 

 Devon Hunt, but he was also the first in South Devon, 

 as his oreat friend Lord Portsmouth, better known 

 as the Honourable Xewton Fellowes, was the first 

 HI North Devon, to introduce a quicker and more 

 modem st^*le of hunting than had previously been 

 In vogue in the West.^ At one time, Templer had 

 charge of and hunted the Eggesford Pack for his 

 friend. 



Templer's was evidently one of those natures that 

 have a pecuHar s^-mpathy with, and resultant con- 

 trol over, animals. Nimrod makes mention of a 

 tame jackal as one of the features of the Stover 

 estabhshment, and another feature was a monkey 

 trained by Templer to follow hounds, properly 

 turned out en tenue rouge, strapped on the back of an 

 old hunter. >Ir. Reginald Templer of Teignmouth, 

 a nephew of George Templer, told me that he had 

 often heard his father describe the performance, and 

 how the poor monkey's career ended through his 

 being killed by a blow from a swinging gate. Stranger 

 still is the record of Templer hunting hare in Stover 

 Park -jciih a pack of foxes. - 



It is little wonder, then, to find all authorities 

 arri\-ing at the same appreciation of his manage- 

 ment in the field and his wonderful power over his 

 hounds. Even»' inflexion of his voice, ever\- note of 

 his horn, we are told, was intelligible to them, and 

 a wave of his hand was instantly and readily obeyed. 

 It is said that the hunting powers of a pack were 



1 BaO^t Magazine, VoL 20 (Oct. 1573), p. 145. 



■ I^tten on Ike paat amd present FozhourAi oj Dtvor^ihirt. 



