238 THE SOUTH DEVON HUNT 



very fast ; then slower hunting in the same region, 

 and then away, undoubtedly with a fresh fox, at a 

 great pace, over the Moreton road by Metherell and 

 to ground at Hempson Rocks. The whole run 

 occupied one hour and three-quarters. 



Another first-class day was the 1st of December, 

 1900, when Choules was hunting the pack. It is a 

 long way out to Heatree, and the late Mr. John 

 Kitson, knowing that the field would be ready for a 

 second breakfast when they arrived, acted accord- 

 ingly. From Shapely Bog, hounds raced a fox over 

 King Tor to the Moreton road, left-handed to Birch 

 Tor, Sousand and Challacombe ; then, after a check, 

 through Blackaton Newtake to the Gorse above 

 Widdicombe and scent failed on Bittleford Down 

 after forty-five minutes. This was followed by a fine 

 run of sixty minutes from Bag Park over Hamildon 

 by Blackaton, Challacombe, Grendon and Cator to 

 Ponds worthy. 



Bovey continued to act as huntsman until the end 

 of the season 1899-1900. He then joined the Imperial 

 Yeomanry and went out to South Africa, where he 

 fell a victim to his patriotism, being killed in action. 

 Choules, the first whip, was then promoted, but as 

 often happens when a man has long been in the 

 subordinate position, he was not an unqualified 

 success as huntsman. 



It was during this dual mastership that the late Sir 

 John Amory's Staghoui^ds came down from Tiverton 

 to try for certain red deer stated to have been 

 frequenting Buckland Woods for some three or four 

 years past. Mr. Ian Amory, who hunted his father's 

 pack, stayed at Holne Park with the Hon. Richard 

 Dawson. They met on the 11th October, 1898, at 

 Welstor Cross, but the large field was doomed to a 



