34 STAG-HUNTING ON EXMOOR. 



from divers sly notices in the Castle Hill records, to 

 have been a sportsman whose keenness sometimes 

 outran his discretion, thus drawing on himself not a 

 little g-ood-humoured banter from the rest. His chief 

 merit in his Honour's eyes was his immunity from the 

 vice of snoring-. 



In 1775 the mastership of the staghounds passed 

 from the Aclands to another old Devon family — the 

 Bassets. In 1784 Sir Thomas reassumed command; 

 and on his death, in 1794, Colonel Basset again kept 

 them until the year 1801. In 1802 the hounds* were 

 kept by Hugh, first Earl Fortescue, at Castle Hill, 

 for one season, and they then became a subscription 

 pack under the management of Mr. Worth, of Worth 

 House, near Tiverton, until 18 10. Lord Graves, of 

 Bishop's Court, near Exeter, then kept them for one 

 season, 181 1, and made them over in 181 2 once more 

 to Lord Fortescue. 



The return of the hounds to Castle Hill was marked 

 by a restoration of the palmy days which the lovers of 

 stag-hunting had enjoyed under the Aclands. But 

 far more important for our present purpose is the 



* The pack was sold in 1801, with the exception of six and a half 

 couples, which were handed to Lord Fortescue for the nucleus of a 

 new pack. 



