222 STA G- HUN TING 



five days' hunting; in 1 880-81 the hounds were out on 

 ninety-four days, and the deer killed were seventy-five. 



The present writer succeeded Mr. Bisset, and re- 

 tained the command for six seasons. The Rev. John 

 Russell saw his last stag killed during my mastership, 

 having been entered to the sport by my great-grand- 

 father seventy years before. I believe Mr. Stucley 

 Lucas and Sir Frederick Knight are the only men 

 still alive who hunted with the old pack. Till quite 

 recently the latter was a first-rate performer across the 

 moor, and dearly loved a gallop. One day he turned 

 away from the hounds because the pack was not laid 

 on a young stag who had broken for the open ground, 

 his property. Whyte Melville was present, and 

 hearing his reason remarked, * If I would only ride 

 over my own land I should have to do my hunting in 

 a flower-pot. 5 



In 1887 Mr. C. H. Basset became master, also for 

 six seasons ; his wife was the heiress and descendant 

 of the Colonel Basset, of Watermouth, who had hunted 

 the country for seventeen years a century before. Mr. 

 Basset's knowledge of hounds and of kennel manage- 

 ment raised the pack to a higher standard of good 

 looks than they had ever attained to previously ; 

 and their work in the field was quite equal to their 

 appearance in kennel. 



