204 THE SOUTH DEVON HUNT 



Essex packs, but who had long since given up hunting 

 himself. He and his keeper, Bishop, proved that the 

 fox and pheasant problem was capable of solution, for 

 never were coverts better stocked with both than those 

 at Ogwell, and a day in the Denbury country in those 

 days invariably resulted in a good day's sport. 



But if a detailed review of the many good runs that 

 took place in the Doctor's eight years of mastership 

 is not practicable, there are three, of which Mr. 

 " Willie " Rendell has sent me particulars, which 

 deserve a place here, and I should preface his account 

 with the remark that Mr. Rendell was officially 

 connected with the hunt for nineteen seasons, during 

 thirteen of which he was honorary secretary to the 

 Damage Fund and during the other six of which he 

 hunted the pack under Mr. Singer's mastership. At 

 the time of which he writes, he was living near the 

 kennels, and, being a frequent visitor, knew every 

 hound. He was also one of Collings's " trusted few." 



Hunting men are rather given to picking and 

 choosing popular fixtures instead of taking the days 

 as they come when able to do so. This is a mistake, 

 if only on the principle that decided a certain old 

 gentleman of my acquaintance, and somewhat of a 

 hon vivanU to dine in the middle of the day " because, 

 sir, life is so uncertain." All three of the runs 

 referred to were from the huge hanging woodlands of 

 Buckland, on the banks of the Dart, the fixture being 

 in every case Welstor Cross. All three runs ended 

 with blood, and Mr. Rendell has the brush of one of 

 the foxes, the mask of another and a pad of the third. 



" I. 1888, December llth. — Collings had his fox afoot under 

 Ausewell Rock within ten minutes of throwing off. After 

 taking a turn over the rock and the deep heather that sur- 

 rounds it, the fox sank the Buckland Woods almost to the 



