JOHN WHIDBORNE 185 



to a newly-formed pack. On one occasion, after 

 drawing well into the afternoon without finding, we 

 were sitting on our horses, the half-dozen of us left, 

 watching the pack draw Bagtor Mire. Presently, 

 the hounds appeared to be running, though the wind 

 was too high for us to hear if they were speaking, and 

 Jack Whitmore, who was with us, did not stir or 

 speak. — " What's that hound leading ? " asked Mr. 

 Whidborne. " That's Bridget, sir," was the answer. 

 After a few moments the master again broke the 

 silence with : " What are they running, Whitmore ? " 

 " / think they are running that pony, sir,"" came the 

 reply. And the pony it was. With few foxes, and 

 little " legitimate " riot on the moor, there was some 

 excuse for the delinquents. 



Nevertheless, the season was not entirely devoid of 

 good runs. On the 24th February, 1883, after 

 meeting at Heathfield Station, the pack struck a 

 drag on Bovey Heathfield which took them into the 

 Wilderness, where they found. They went away at a 

 great pace over a heavy country with many banks, 

 the line being through Coalsworth}'^ Farm by Whissel- 

 well and Owlacombe Plantations, on to Heytor Down, 

 where the fox ran very cunning, past Heytor Rock 

 and on through Hoi well Farm. Here the fog was 

 very thick, and we had to ride hard to keep the 

 hounds in sight as they broke the wall by White Gate. 

 From there our fox went on to Bonehill, just above 

 Widdicombe, where he succeeded in finding a friendly 

 crevice from which he could not be dislodged. The 

 run lasted just over the hour, and the distance, as 

 hounds ran, was stated to be about twelve miles. On 

 the map, from point to point, it is just over six miles. 

 Only five of the field in addition to the huntsman 

 lived to see the finish, and the writer of the account 



