Hunting the Wild Red Deer. 155 



for he will find a run witb. tliese fine hounds over this 

 varying country not only novel, but exciting in the 

 highest degree; and I recommend any one whose 

 inclination leads him to follow my advice, to spend a 

 month at Dulverton, from wheiice all the best meets 

 can be reached, promising that he will find comfort- 

 able quarters at the Lion ; and until he sees the 

 requirements of the country he can hire safe animals 

 of Mr. King, the landlord, which will enable him to 

 judge whether it is worth while to bring his own stud 

 to perform in these parts. 



For my own part I should prefer hiring horses 

 accustomed to these hills and dales ; and I should by 

 no means recommend anyone to bring unhandy animals 

 here, as there are abundant opportunities of coming 

 to grief. For instance, when taking a short cut down 

 an exceedingly steep pathway, where several men dis- 

 mounted, the chestnut I had the good luck to ride 

 picked his way over the loose, rolling stones with such 

 skill that I felt that I was safer on his back than I 

 should have been blundering on my feet down the 

 uninviting descent that I had ventured, in my anxiety 

 to get to the hounds, and have a gallop down the 

 lovely glade which lay between two steep and densely- 

 wooded hills. Finding at the finish of the day that 

 I had a ride of some 20 miles to accomplish before I 

 reached Dulverton, I pulled up at Williton, and, after 

 resting half an hour, in order to obtain refreshment 

 for both man and horse, remounted, and, passing over 

 a beautiful tract of country, through Nettlecombe, 

 over Brendon Hill, leaving King's Brompton to the 

 right. I finally reached Dulverton as the shades of 

 night were closing over that eminently quiet little 



