JOHN WHIDBORNE 89 



and Rowe's farms, ran into their fox in the open at 

 the back of Kennford village. Only one, the writer 

 of the account, saw the find and finish. 



Like other masters, Whidborne used occasionally 

 to take his hounds into North Devon by invitation. 

 That they could acquit themselves as well in a 

 strange country as at home, is shewn by the account 

 which I reproduce from a faded manuscript which I 

 had from Miss Whidborne, the master's only child. 

 The composition is sufficiently quaint to justify my 

 giving the report verbatim. 



" An account of a memorable run with Squire Whidborne's 

 Foxhounds in the year 1854, by one who was in a forward 

 position. 



" The day was fine, the temperature at 40°, the spirits were 

 high and Diana propitious. Unkennelled from a small patch 

 of gorse in the parish of Withypoole. There was no room 

 for the varmint to dwell. He was off instanter. Though one 

 of the greyhound foxes and of the indigenous sort, he did not 

 presume on his strength, but started for his life. The field 

 was on the qui vive, and emulated each other in the pursuit. 

 On ! on ! on ! was the cry at a rattling pace over Exford 

 Common, Peckedstone Honeymead on to Simonsbath. Here 

 the varmint crossed the Barle at a right angle to Cornham. 

 This was his furthest point from home. From Cornham to 

 Darleigh, Sandyway over Hawkridge Common to Hawk- 

 ridge Parsonage Farm. Here an amusing episode took place 

 denoting the impulse of the animal and human nature. A colt, 

 just one and a half year old, of the old pack breed, joined 

 the hounds, jumped the fence with the leaders into Nortli 

 Barton Wood, dashed through the Barle river, and up over 

 Par Wood to Winsford Common. Here his master by a 

 circuitous route caught sight of his colt who was going at full 

 speed and the greatest excitement in the middle of the pack. 

 A stentorian cry issued from the master's mouth, ' Do'ee 

 plase, do'ee plase, stop the yearling.' On the heedless 

 animal went, regardless of his master's cries, through heather 



