THE NEW TIMES, 1825— 1 86 1. 55 



country, offered an annual subscription of ^100 pro- 

 vided some satisfactory arrangement were arrived at. 

 These two generous offers were gratefully accepted, 

 and from that day the difficulties of obtaining support 

 for the Devon and Somerset staghounds gradually 

 diminished^until, at the end of another twenty years, 

 the subscription, raised without any great difficulty, 

 amounted to three times the sum which in the first 

 struggling years, from 1855 to i860, had seemed 

 hopeless of attainment even to the most sanguine. 



It must, however, be added in justice to the land- 

 owners round Dulverton, that they very early gave their 

 support to Mr. BIsset, and it must be remembered that 

 it is round Dulverton only that any great number of 

 country houses is to be found in the stag-hunting 

 country. Lord Carnarvon, of Pixton, Mr. Lucas, of 

 Baronsdown, Mr. Daniel, of Stoodleigh, Mr. Carew, of 

 Colipriest, and, last but not least, Mr. Locke, of North- 

 moor, all rallied round him, almost from the first, with 

 not a few others. From Dulverton westward there is 

 not a country house except Mr. Bellew's for many miles 

 before reaching Court Hall, whose owner, Lord Polti- 

 more, though then master of the Cattistock fox- 

 hounds, was nevertheless one of the first to assist in 

 reviving the older and nobler sport of deer-hunting. 



