310 THE SOUTH DEVON HUNT 



day's sport. Mr. Templer has at this time nearly twenty 

 brace of foxes in reserve, which he keeps in courts fitted up 

 for their accommodation. 



On Thursday, the 9th January, 1823, these hounds had one 

 of the best days for the season. At 12 o'clock precisely 

 a very fine vixen fox, which was dug two days before by the 

 huntsman to Sir Henry Carew's harriers, was unbagged 

 before a large field of sportsmen at the Old Decoy, belonging 

 to Lord Courtenay, near Newton Abbot. After going off in a 

 most gallant style he made a short round to Wolborough 

 Church, and crossing the Totnes turnpike road he ran the 

 country in a circle for about four miles to the place where he 

 was first turned out, when, making another turn, catching 

 the wind, and having lost his country, he made away for 

 Ipplepen, Denbury, and Ingsdon, where, turning to the right, 

 he gained the coverts of Bradley, which re-echoed with the 

 delightful music of this steady pack, and the cheers of the 

 sportsmen. He then crossed a branch of the river Teign 

 under Bradley House, from whence he ascended the steep 

 hills to Highweek Village, where a check of some minutes 

 occurred, owing to the fox having got into some gardens and 

 about the outhouses of the village, but being halloed away 

 again by some people at work, and bending again to the right, 

 he faced the open country of Bovey Heathfield, where he 

 swam the canal belonging to Mr. Templer twice, and, thread- 

 ing his large plantations on the border of the heath, he 

 ultimately gained a small one belonging to Lord Clifford, near 

 Chudleigh, where he was run into and safely secured by some 

 of the gentlemen, who were up before the hounds had done 

 him any injury. Thus ended a chase of upwards of two hours, 

 having gone over a country of nearly 25 miles — a chase 

 that gave the greatest satisfaction to a most numerous 

 field of the best sportsmen of the country. The extra- 

 ordinary height of perfection to which the discipline of a pack 

 of hounds of the highest blood is brought is worthy the 

 attention of every sportsman. Mr. Harry Taylor, of Ogwell 

 House, so manages this pack that he turns down the fox 

 immediately before their noses, and although not a word is 

 spoken nor a whip moved not a dog stirs until the law given 



