The Sunday herald., 1886-09-19
ONE OF THE WORLDS FAMOUS HUNTS.
Chasing the wild Stag In the Exmoor Forest.


tIondon Standard
The forest of ExmOor has ever been a notable
huntlng ground, and the scene OF the chase OF the
Wild red deer from time immemorial: We certainly
have records Of stag hunting in Windsor and the
New Forests prior to hearing of 1t on the moor, hut
In the former places the hunting OF the stag with
some sort Of hound was only u prelude TO driving
him into net or shooting him with bolt or arrow.
The men OF the west were probably much more Or
thodox; 40 far back @ az records go they appear to
hunted hun 10 the death without taking what In the
eyes OF sportsmen, seems to have been thought a
mean advantage. From the time that Hugh Pollard,
one OF the rangers OF Queen Elizabeth, WAS master
o. tue pack, stag hunting has been carried out on
EbrtDgtOn at the present time.
The famed Devon AMI Somerset Staghounds COM
nencel the season yesterday with IA fixture at
Cloutsham as usual. Within twenty-five miles OF
the rystng place every horse that cOnld be Induced
to cover the distance and every wheel that could
to ClOntsram Ball folk nOmInaly bent on seeing
SPORT hut actually milking the journey for the sake
of taking pat IN gigantic pcnlc Around the
wcll-knOwn field carriages were drawn up, and per-
peual luncheons took place, reminding one OF the
winning 1cld at hunt steeplechasc meeting rather
than OF a meet Of staghouIds. But while the bulk
Of the field thus enjoyed themselves, Lord Ebring-
ton, Arthur Heal, the veteran huntsinan, and his
WHIPS were doing nara wSIK IN ,n me c9veris below
handful OF enthusiasts to whom the opening Of the
season Ia source of unalloyed pleasure
No hunting ground ever brings the sportsman
face TO face win such scenery as that In the forest
81 Exmoor. Having gained the summit OF hill
nnds that one still higher yet remains TO be sur
mounted, but when the summit Is once reached the
| view Is something 10 be seen and remembered.
From llawcombe Head the eye wanders over the
lovely sub-Alpine scenery toward Porlock, with lis
weiilled and fruitful valleys its background of
blue water, the latter appearing 80 close AZ to make
1t seem easy task To cast stone Into II from the
summit OF the hill The operations OF Lord Ebring-
tons pack, besides Offering pleasant day to those
who long for something beyond the mere routine OF
walking and driving obtainabe ut most holiday re-
sorts, are full Of Interest to any one with taste for
deer by the tufers is not the nrs stage In the pro-
ceedlngs Long before tue hounds appear the har.
6orer has @ done s work nd ~ h e early hours oi the
overlooked nothing that can help TO assist him In his
search. the manner In which turnip has been
bitten VIII tell him whether stag or q hind has
passed that way; II he comes acress slot a. the
footprlnt) he Will, from long experience, make a
toleraby accurate guess at the sex and age Of the
To talk to o harborer and TO learn something ol
his duties s to add fOrfOd to tho pleasure OF hunt
Ing the Wild stag, while TO leave ones hunter on the
hill and To- follow the ufters up and down the almost
intermlnable coveris is., TO most men, , to
fox is scarcely more deserving Of being
styled cunning than the deer. TO linda warranlable
y one hpg to fore n hm IN, n9 the open Is an
o the latter viii force him to bear the brunt oi tht
chase; nor Will the hunted animal be above exposing
| hind TO the dangers OF being run. These ruses
Of COURSE lead to delay for no sooner do the hunts
a e rs
and the search begins afreah. All this, however
and much more, is lost to those who lounge upon
| the hillside until the body Of the pack Ia laid on
They lose the hunting, and do not Invariably come
in for much pleasant riding for the greater part Of
| ExmoOr does not come under the denomination O
"g0od going" as q Leicestershre fox hunter under
| stands the term.
| PreciptOuB hills, deep cO0mbs, ana endless
| coverts commend themselves to the eyes OF The
artist more than TO The eye Of the sportsman. There
are, indeed, no fences to jump, but the moor hal
| difficulties OF its own TO be surm0unted before
stranger can live with hounds. The rider must b,
prepared to descend by steep and winding paths tt
Chamber up hills, and 10 avoid the b0gs, and this HI
| will scarcely do without pilot. When, therefore
| one comes to see how much hunting the average
| visitor misses, and how unsuitable ExmOOr ID fol
riding, from an upcounirymans view, the wes
country folk may he pardoned for asking, 8a theI
often do what II IL that brings such swarDs OF visi
tors, of late years Wild stag hunting has become
| fashionable, however, and the crowds that annually
collect at least put something In the pockets OF hOte
and lodging-house keepers. II is only short sea
son after all. By the time the end OF October Gomez
round stag hunting haa finished, visitors hav,
packed up and departed, only few remaining fol
hind hunting, which III generally productive o
| the best sport.