MR. EDWARD FAIRFAX STUDD 167 



together in the morning, which he did not know well 

 enough to find in such weather. I blew my horn, 

 which I carried as field-master in Mr. Studd's absence, 

 but, as happened to Mr. Jorrocks on a famous 

 occasion, the raging tempest scattered the notes 

 before they were well out of my mouth. It was a 

 weary ride ; not a single habitation lay in the line of 

 route even after leaving the common and striking the 

 road at the Thorns, and all the way the snow was 

 driving into my face and left ear. At last, battered, 

 wet and half perished with the cold, I reached home, 

 which is more than many people did on that memor- 

 able day. I found Mr. Davies had left before me and 

 had been advised to take the longer but more 

 sheltered road. So great was the fall of snow, that it 

 was still to be seen a month later lying where the 

 drifts had been. The recollection of that day calls to 

 mind Strutt's reflection on the sport of fox-hunting : 

 " Although the pastime be great, yet many times the 

 toyle and paine is also exceeding great : And then 

 it may be called eyther a painful pastime or a pleasant 

 payne." 



The annual puppy-judging at Oxton was always a 

 great event. The invitation was issued by advertise- 

 ment in the papers and was addressed to all interested 

 in the hunt and "all farmers whether they hunt or 

 not." In addition to the interest attaching to the 

 young entry (and Mr. Studd took a lot of trouble to 

 improve the pack), it brought together the hunting 

 men and the farmers and promoted much good 

 fellowship. 



As the name "South Devon" had been resumed 

 by the pack hunting the Newton side, Mr. Studd, 

 during this his second mastership, called his pack the 

 "South Devon (Exeter Division)." 



