236 THE SOUTH DEVON HUNT 



cessor in the middle of the season. It was essential to 

 have someone with a general knowledge of the country, 

 and after due deliberation they secured the services 

 of Mr. E. P. Bovey, who at the time was master and 

 huntsman of the Ashburton Harriers. It was trying 

 a man rather high to pitchfork him suddenly into 

 such a position, but the selection was approved as 

 the best that could be made under the circumstances. 



It was only in the nature of things that sport 

 should suffer. Still, we had some good runs and the 

 new huntsman worked hard to shew sport. One day 

 in particular, the 21st of February, 1899, did him 

 great credit. It was on the Haldon side, a country 

 absolutely unknown to Bovey. A fox from Oxton 

 made a six-mile point to beyond the Rectory at 

 Doddiscombsleigh, going first over the open plain of 

 Haldon by Harcombe, the Racecourse and Oxen- 

 combe, and then threading the great woodlands and 

 deep bottoms of A^Tiiteway and Kiddens. A country- 

 man saw the fox in a lane, " scat all over," but he got 

 into some shippens (as was discovered later) and beat 

 the pack. 



Only three saw this run. The huntsman was one 

 and a younger son of Mr. R. Vicary was another ; 

 neither knew an inch of the line, and after reaching 

 White way they had no pilot but the pack. 



Other good days there were, such as the 25th of the 

 same month, when, from New Buildings, they ran 

 round Pinchaford Ball to Lower Bagtor and Sigford 

 and by Owl's Rattle to Halsanger, Bagtor Wood and 

 the Big Rubble Heap, whence a fresh fox brought 

 them back at a tremendous pace to New Buildings 

 and Lower Bagtor, then more slowly to Owlacombe 

 tin mine, where he went in. He was bolted and killed 

 after another sharp burst. 



