THOMAS WESTLAKE 109 



health, retired from the post of Honorary Secretary, 

 and Mr. H. Michelmore was elected in his stead. 



Westlake's great triumph was a run that he brought 

 off in April, 1871, perhaps the greatest run in the 

 annals of the hunt. That good judge, Mr. Charles 

 Trelawny, writing to a friend at that time, said : 

 *' I wish I could learn exactly how Westlake's really 

 wonderful run ended. Whether they killed or 

 earthed and where they finished." The following is 

 a condensed account of the printed report ; 



MR. westlake's great RUN 



The pack met at Heatree Gate with a dry, cold east wind 

 blowing. Westlake had eighteen couple of hounds out 

 and was riding Sprig. They found a brace in Heathercombe 

 Brake, and the dog-fox broke unseen, but a holloa from some- 

 one on the top of the hill soon brought up the master with the 

 pack, and he had to gallop hard to catch the leading couple, 

 the fox meanwhile having secured a start of eight minutes. 

 The pack settled down quickly, and ran over Hamilton leaving 

 King Tor and Grimspound to the right, to Challacombe and 

 Sousand Warren, turning right handed over Challacombe 

 Common and Vittiver Mine. The hounds then crossed the 

 Moreton road between New House and Bennett's Cross, 

 running at a tremendous pace ; over the Jurston valley to 

 Lakeland, thence by Fernworthy, and, leaving Grey Wethers 

 to their left, to Teignhead, and on to Whitehorse Hill. Here 

 riding became difficult, but a few of the field struggled on 

 over the boggy ground, with the pack half a mile ahead, going 

 over Ockment Hill to Dinger Tor and High Willhays, leaving 

 Yes Tor on the right. Near Yes Tor a fresh fox was seen to 

 get up, but the hounds stuck to the line of the hunted one 

 and ran on over Blackator, crossed the West Ockment river 

 and were last seen racing over the opposite hill as if either 

 Sourton or Lydford might be their point. But no horse 

 could follow over the bogs, and the master had now to give 

 in and start on his thirty mile ride home with one couple and 

 a half of hounds. 



