DR. HENRY SEARLE GAYE 209 



whole country three and four days a week during 

 the next two seasons, and was as successful on the 

 Haldon side as on the Newton side. The addition of 

 the Haldon side was, however, from its character as 

 well as from its distance from kennel, a severe tax 

 upon men, hounds and horses, and, moreover, it was 

 found impossible to meet even the modest demands of 

 the master in the way of subscriptions. Having once 

 reunited the country, the Doctor was not disposed 

 to relinquish a part of it, which he considered would 

 not be fair or to the interests of the hunt. Accord- 

 ingly, at the end of the season 1892-3, he definitely 

 resigned, and the hunt set about finding another 

 master. 



So great was the popularity of the retiring master, 

 and such had been the sport shewn, that the members 

 readily came forward with a handsome subscription 

 towards a presentation to him, which took the form 

 of a pair of guns by Holland & Holland bearing the 

 inscription : " Presented to H. S. Gaye, Esqre., by the 

 members of the Hunt on his retirement from the 

 Mastership of the South Devon Hunt in 1893." 



The presentation was made at a dinner given to the 

 retiring master, and it is typical of the man, that, 

 in returning thanks, he attributed much of the credit 

 for the success of the hunt to the excellent services of 

 its honorary secretary, Mr. G. H. Hext, and then, 

 leaving his place, went round the table and handed 

 " on his own " to Mr. Hext a handsome silver cup 

 as a mark of his appreciation of the assistance he had 

 always received from him. 



