iSyi — 1881. 71 



a brace of hinds were fairly taken in one day, but as 

 usual the hinds in the Horner country were the great 

 difficulty." 



But a greater difficulty was now in store for the 

 country. Mr. Bisset's warning that he could not hope 

 to hold the mastership much longer was given in full 

 earnest at the beginning of 1871, and he was now less 

 than ever able to devote his time to it. Further, the 

 expenses had greatly increased ; and to make things 

 still more embarrassing his tenancy of Rhyll had but a 

 short time to run on, and there was no other house for 

 himself or other kennels for his hounds. Once again, 

 however, the evil day was staved off. Mr. Bellew again 

 arranged to leave Rhyll to the master, and the sub- 

 scription was raised to almost double its former 

 amount. Mr. Bisset was nevertheless, as usual, the 

 one who really made the sacrifice. He had for some 

 time been looking to two old Devon houses for a 

 successor, but in neither case was the man of his 

 choice yet old enough to take his place. " The future 

 looked blank, but Mr. Bisset was animated by the 

 same feeling as of old, that no effort should be left 

 untried to keep the staghounds going ; that to let 

 them now go to the ground from their high estate, 

 after all his trouble and expense, would not only be a 



