10 STAG-HUNTING ON EXMOOR. 



very boggy place — bearing somewhat south of east 

 and gradually sinking into a huge deep combe among 

 the yellow hills. Thence, always eastward, past 

 Simonsbath village, which lies some six miles down, 

 to Withypool yet six miles farther; just below which 

 latter hamlet a chain of oak coppice woods covers 

 both banks, almost unbroken except in name for some 

 seven miles or more, past Tarr Steps, Hawkridge, 

 Brewer's Castle, to the little town of Dulverton ; a 

 mile below which Barle is merged in Exe. 



Thus, then, we have a second great fold formed 

 within and to northward of the great southern barrier, 

 this second fold being again duplicated between 

 Simonsbath and two miles above Withypool by a 

 large tributary of the Barle. 



The Exe, rising a mile and a half to northward of the 

 Barle, runs in a course almost parallel to it in the same 

 direction, from north-west to south-east, flowing through 

 a very deep combe (Orchard Combe by name) some 

 six or seven miles to Exford, an old oasis and parish 

 for centuries; thence to the pretty village of Winsford, 

 where the oak coppice once more covers the banks ; 

 on under Exton village and by Baronsdown, where the 

 Lucases kept the stag-hounds from 1818 — 25, to the 

 back of Pixton, home formerly of the Aclands, now 



