SIR L. PALK, Bt., AND SIR J. DUNTZE, Bt. 131 



Mr. Frank Short was appointed honorary secretary 

 to the new pack. He was immensely popular, and, 

 living at his father's place, Bickham, was well placed 

 in the centre of the country. Mr. Short's father had 

 been a keen sportsman and a famous whip in the 

 palmy days of the Road. " Short's Plantation " is 

 mentioned frequently in Sir Walter Carew's diary 

 and was a noted find in his day, as was also the covert 

 known as the Round O, which also formed part of the 

 Bickham property. Thanks to Miss Short, Mr. Frank 

 Short's sister, who until quite recently continued to 

 live at Bickham, the reputation of these coverts has 

 been well maintained. 



The first huntsman to the Haldon Hounds was 

 Will Nevard, who, however, died in Exeter Hospital 

 after only one season with the pack. He was suc- 

 ceeded by Dan North from Mr. Snow's in North 

 Devon. North had a musical voice and a shrill 

 scream, blew a good note on the horn and his hound 

 language was good and expressive. In these days, he 

 might have been considered as rather on the noisy 

 side ; but the silent system, whatever may be its 

 advantages elsewhere, is not highly thought of in the 

 woods and hills of Devon, and Dan North knew the 

 importance of getting a good body of hounds together 

 when his fox was first afoot. No feeble tootle on the 

 horn will do this in such coverts as Bridford Wood, 

 Cotleigh Wood, etc., where hounds spread them- 

 selves in drawing. Altogether he was a good hunts- 

 man, knew how to hunt a fox and shewed a great 

 deal of sport. Foxes soon increased in number, 

 though of course blank days were not unknown, 

 especially towards the end of the season. 



I may perhaps be pardoned for mentioning the 

 first really big run I remember. Where we found, or 



