Hunting the Wild Red Deer, 153 



in full view down the hill-side over the big fence into 



the park cannot be imagined, and I felt a shiver of 



excitement running through me and an increase in 



the pulsation of my heart when I saw the brave 



animal going gallantly away, distancing the hounds 



as he dashes into the lovely shubberies which were, 



however, soon made too hot to hold him; then, 



breaking cover again, we raced him across the 



park at a rattling pace, by the farmyard, and away 



through the plantation which leads towards the shore, 



when he makes for the sea, and is soon swimming 



for dear life in the muddy waters of the Bristol 



Channel. The tide being low, and no boat being at 



hand, he made his way through the water until he 



was lost to view, doomed, in all probability, I was 



informed, to be drowned in a short while, and thrown 



on the shore by the advancing tide. I have seen 



a stag captured in various places — on one occasion 



in the canal in the Regent^s Park, after running over 



Hampstead Heath and Primrose Hill ; but never before 



have I ridden at full tilt over the shingly beach, to pull 



up amidst the plashing of the salt sea waves. The 



master of the Devon and Somerset hounds is Mordaunt 



Frederick Bissett, Esq., who has hunted the country 



for the last 23 years, and a fit and proper man he looks 



to conduct such a noble sport, standing considerably 



over 6ft in height and riding 20st. or more. ^'^ You 



must not take this as a specimen of our sport,^^ said 



this gallant huntsman ; ^^ in order to see our hunting 



at the best you must witness a run across Exmoor.''^ 



However, I would not for a great deal have missed the 



opportunity of witnessing the breaking from cover 



