46 STAG-HUNTING ON EXMOOR. 



assumed that name in addition to Fenwick) that he 

 at once detected the weak side of the local character. 

 Though himself a Devonshire man, with a firm belief 

 that it is the finest county in England (who does not 

 think so of his own county ?), the writer must confess 

 that love of talking- is our besetting sin. No one who 

 has shot in Devonshire can have failed to notice the 

 incessant chattering of the beaters, and the writer has 

 remarked the same fault in a man-of-war manned by 

 a Devonshire crew. The blue-jackets were all splendid 

 men, and at least as well-behaved as their comrades 

 from other counties, but they would suspend any work 

 for a conversation. 



Mr. Bisset, however, braved this and all other 

 dangers. He took over Mr. Bellew's draft, and with 

 presents of four and a half couple from Captain West 

 and the Rev, John Russell, added to one and a half 

 couple of old hounds and four couple of puppies, which 

 were purchased from a Mr. Pomeroy Gilbert, he made 

 up a pack of eighteen couple of hounds, and duly 

 lodged them in Churchtown kennels. John Babbage, 

 who had been huntsman to Mr. Carew, held the same 

 post under the new master, and Arthur Heal, who had 

 been brought up to hunt the hare, was appointed to 

 be whip. 



