H U N TIN G AN D SPO R TEN G

N O T E S

I N T H E

‘

W E S T M ID L A N D S .

- SE ASON 1 885 8 6 .

C ONTAI N IN G A C C O U NTS O I“

P I E E E R III R I“ F F R D OR N C IR . RO P IR WOR C S T S O IR S T HESH SH SH E , , STA SH E

D L H E RE F ORD SHIR E A N W ES . , A

B OR D E R E R .

“ WI T H N U MERO U S

P O R T R A I T S A N D I L L U S TR A TJ O N S

M TT N . B H F . Y y . O

1 886 .

L ON DON :

A H B L Y a: C 1 5 N C L A LA E . . . I O . I O N A , , H S

S H R E WSB U R Y :

’ ‘ E D D OWE U L F S U R S S J O RN O F I C E TE E . A , Q A E

SH WSB U Y : A D N I TT 6: N U TH E S U E N ON R . R R A T , Q A E L U L A T I D D Ow : A . P G E B RO D ST EE T R R , A R

WO C ST : D G <8: H I H T T R E ER EI HTON G S REE . Sp a v e M S

D E DIC ATE D ,

B Y KIN D PE R MIS S ION ,

L AD Y WIL L IA MS WYN N .

Iv a r th i s i n mi n d th r u h o u t th e ru n o g , “ ” Fai n t h e art fai r l ady n e v e r wo n .

Tho s e c ra v e n s a re t h ro wn o u t; wh o swe rv e :

N o n e b u t th t h i d rv e e b rav e e fa r e se . I N S IN DE X TO ILL USTR A T O .

Lady Wi lli am s Wyn n F ro n ti s pi e ce

C aptai n Park Ya te s Oppo s i te page i x

Si r Watki n

A lfre d Th atch e r

A Wre n b u ry Gre e ti n g

Wi n ki n g h i s e ye a t th e C o lo n e l fro m ab o v e

Di s lo dgi n g th e Wh i tti n gt o n Fo x

Si r Vi n ce n t Co rb e t B art ,

A n U n ac c u s to me d F e at

Bo lti n g th e Pi tchf o rrl F o x

De ath Of t h e Pi t chfo rd Fo x

Two Sh ro ps h i re Wo rth i e s

Mr A me s . F .

L o rd C o mb e rme re

Al l f o r th e h o n o ur o f Sh ro psh i re

AN IN TR ODUCTOR Y CHAPTE R

HUNTING AND SPORTING NOTES

THE WE ST MIDLANDS .

N IMR OD tells us “ That foxhunting suspends the cares o f to o life , whilst the speculations of the racecourse

n h . T e n n ge erally increase them one steels the co stitutio , whilst the anxious cares of the other have a contrary

ff Th e m e ect . love of the chase ay be said to be screwed i n o e so o f m an e n o e o n e t th ul by th bl hand f atur , whereas the pursuit of the other is t o o often the o ff n Th spring of a passion we should wish to disow . e

-o n e m n enlarges the sy pathies , which unite us in a bo d of

' reciprocal kindness and good 0 ces i n the pursuit of t h e m man other al ost every is our foe . Lastly , the chase does n o t usually brin g a man i n to bad compan y t h e modern turf is fast becomin g the very man or of th e

worst . With this exhilarating opin ion before us we are embolde n ed on ce again to t e mpt the fates with a few h i i The We at e r .

h n o . E m t e n . more hunting notes of past seas bolde ed ,

n o t we repeat advisedly , because does it require s ome pluck to have to place o n record such a season as th e one we have endured in 1 885 -86 ? U n exampled as

an d i n n . . o e of intermittent frost snow its latter part , while its closing N ovember days and early part of

D an d ecember , were equally noticeable for wind , storm ,

’ t - 1 5 th flood . I needs but to take up to day s paper (the

M s . arch) , and read the meteorological report , which speak

It : “ It th e for itself . says is now ten weeks since thermometer in London has registered fift y degrees during six ty -nine days there have been only five days

-fiv e o n - that it has reached forty degrees , forty three days i t o n has not reached forty degrees , twelve days it has

n o t -fiv e o n o n e reached thirty degrees , and day it has

r m t dav A t e ained below freezing poin the whole . night i n a sheltered position , four feet from the ground , it has registered frost o n no fewer than forty -nine out o f the - A sixty nine nights . t Greenwich Observatory an i n strument placed close to the ground has registered

fiv e frost on every night except , and on eleven Of these o ccasions there have been more than ten degrees of frost ! While this h as happened in London an d its

V n m ici ity , how uch more has it been felt in other parts

o f E an d o n th e n ngland , especially in the north , wester

hi . 1 8 th W , lls On March , in ales the snow completely c overed the country , and blocked up hedges and gateways .

Th e A birds were tame and listless . woodcock rose out

“ of a ditch by the side of my path and fluttered away , poor - Th . e fellow , like a half starved robin grouse , too , have had a terrible time of it ; hundreds and hundreds have - I e fallen victims to hedge poppers . heard of forty brac i r Wa ki r S t r. i i i

o n e e Y being hung up in c llar in a provincial orkshire town .

N ine hares were picked up deadin a field near L l an ar tn o n

— r — tenmilesfromOswest y last week , and foxes have bee n making nightly inroads into the town itself i n search o f food . It seems hardly credible that here we are within

e o f D a six we ks May y, skating away as hard as o u r

" o legs can carry us , with no apparent probability f a

’ change , and all this time Borderer s harp has been hung up o n his willo w tree there is no hunting . What a bold

o f o r man he is even to dream it , believe that people will

w n ever ant to read anythi g about such a season as this .

Th e h u very thought will sicken them , and t ey will t rn w t o s s o . o t i h loathing fr m uch a lo t ch rd N t a all ,

n Yo u my frie ds . may not wish the dose repeated .

o f do n o t , t t ss ts None us bu he le must we retain i record ,

d n frail , fleeting , and isappointi g though it has been . There are bright spots in it that will always render i t

mem orable . First and foremost it has been the first

o f n W season a you g generation at ynnstay . Since last

’ summer s sun glis tened o n that stately pile its beloved and honoured own er has been taken away from amon gst w i us , and his nephe has been called on to re gn in his

to stead . Last season he had take much Of the active

’ management Of the hunt in hand owing to his uncle s T failing health , and in doing so , just fresh from rinity l d Co lege , Cambridge , he had more than or inary " " di i cu lti e s to contend with , among which the short

m o f n b t o . N w co ings the huntsman were the least ,

i r W . S however , all this is altered atkin has none of t h those drawbacks to contend wi h , whic handicapped H W m him last season . e has chosen a huntsman in illia oc wh o o o So S o s e L key , c ming originally fr m uth hr p hir ' We ll L o cke i v y .

n n H was n o t e e o n s N o e s . e tir ly unk w in it rth rn part had , i t n n is true , earned no great ame as a huntsma in the W t orcestershire country , but as an excellent servan , a

fir t- s rate horseman , devoted to his hounds , he had few

In I s . uperiors this , his first season , do not hesitate to

n W s ay he has bee a great success . hatever his short c omings as a hun tsman may have been in the land of

wo n fruit and hops , here he has the hearty approval of d a most critical field , in the most ecided way. Quiet

n d e t a y quick , determined and yet discretionary , he

u w h as co , ve bo o , in a new ntry ith e rything a ut it t

’ le s o n b e s Si r W s s arn , h w ett r port than atkin hunt ha

m . n en joyed for any a season Lockey has the fortu e ,

oo o be b c o o e e s ste s , t , t a ked up by ne f th k ene t Ma r a n d to be whipped -i n by one o f the best first whips i n

E li S n n W i t n . th e cou try , in ki er ith such aids only

i n eeds a p ck of hounds improved by careful breeding ,

n W n n e , o b s drafting , and ken l ma agement t ring the y n tay

n o n It e stablishment to a state borderi g perfection . i s worth while to dwell shortly o n the past history of

’ i r h o w n S Watkin s hunt , to see the pack has bee

i n m an d n t fostered the fa ily , what a grand cou try i h n Th e - - n u ts over . great great grandfather of the prese t

B n n m aro et was a oted sports an in his day , and history tells us how in 1 745 he had to quit his native country

o f W l w J ac o bi te s ales for being too closely al ied ith the ,

an d n D seek shelter with his frie d , the then uke of B G H . i s o n e eaufort , in loucestershire second wife was

o f Sh ake rl e s e , oo o C es e s oc e th y a g d ld h hir t k , and h

d m ff m n n ied fro the e ects of a fall , returning fro hu ti g

’ n r n l ff i Si R obe C u i e s . C o s o s rt park uri u ly en ugh , thi

’ h en e cco n to esen e o f hi s e s app d a rdi g a pr tim nt wif , To m Pe n n . v

n m h who war ed him before starting of her drea . T e

n t m ext inheritor of the title , the son of his last ention ed

Si r W - o f n t atkin , and great grandfather the prese

n an d Baro et , was also a sportsman , kept a pack of

. H e hounds , but his chief delight was the drama T m S 1 7 89 . m arried a omerset , and died in hen ca e his

Si r W i n da son , the great atkin , as he was called his y . d H e d an . S ro e eighteen stone , knew no fear ome good h i m stories are extant of him , especially about and his P To m . N pad groom , enn imrod tells an amusing story h P i o w . S r of enn used to rule his master One day ,

P Pi e rre o i n t Watkin and the on . hilip p were travellin g m ’ together , and passed the for er s stables in Oxfordshire .

W Pi e rre o i n t e . shall see the horses , said p Of

r W To m h Si W . t e course , said atkin ell , , said m th Baronet , after alighting fro his carriage , how are e

? Th e Si r W n horses horses are well enough , atki , D but I am very hi ll . What ails you ? am n ati o n i st I I pain in my side , ever had in my life . should

’ Yo k s . u b n li e to see the horse can t , they have ee Th s hut up these two hours . e Baronet and his friend had to pursue their journey u n grati fie d ! To m Penn

T i r was afterwards killed by a fall out hunting . his S W m m atkin arried a Clive , and met his death also fro

ff o f the e ects an accident , being thrown out of a

It was pony carriage in the grounds at Wynnstay .

Si r W s during the lifetime of this atkin , that foxhound

in a regular form were first kept. in the Wyn nstay

Si r R Pul e s to n e E m ral P I country , by ichard , of ark . think we may take it that harriers had been the prevailing

o f Of W delight former owners ynnstay , although , no fi doubt , they diversi ed the sport pretty Often by hunting n vi Si r R i chard Pu le s to e .

i r foxes when they came across them . S R ichard

Pul e s to n e o v , s v s h o , , h we er de er e more t an passing menti n

s o n e th e o f S a he was of pioneers hunting in hropshire .

In wa s fact , in many ways , he an accomplished sports m an o f w , and a good judge hounds , hich he hunted

— a r himself fair ho seman , andhighly respectedthroughout

S o r a s c . s t large di tri t celeb ated was he for hound , hat

D o f h i m H i the uke Cleveland bought drafts from . s

D f e w Th romo blood knew superiors in those days . e

’ old hound s tomb at E mral bore the inscription

A as o o r D ro m o l , p ,

R e n ar d wi h d re ad o f t h e ard h i s aw u n ame y t , f l .

Si r R Si r W n ichard bred his own hunters , and atki

f o r Hi s planted s everal good gorse coverts him . chief — s er vants were J ack Bartlett the quickest whip o f his

—N e d day Bates , who was his huntsman , when he himself gave up the horn ; and last , though not least ,

To m h u m Crane , who from a groom , became nts an of the

’ H e D u o f W n Fife hounds . also hunted the ke ellingto s

P War was pack in the eninsular , and said to have

’ ridden st raight among the enemies b ullets sooner than

i r R Pu l e s to n stop h i s hounds . S ichard e held a sort of m A o r oveable feast , hunting the present lbrighton . as it

S . was then called the hifnal country , as well as his own

“ It was at Chillington he made the memorable o e r to N e d Bates A guinea for Ol d Cae sar This being the n ick-n ame of an old fox that had beaten his ho u nds times

d w was v . out of min , and the re ard ne er claimed Curiously

r r i k d Si r R Pu le s to n e M . VV c s te enou gh icha d , like the late ,

finished his hunting career by keeping b arri e r s .

i n we w wa s w Th e late S r Watki , as kno , the first o ner of The la te S i r Wa tki n . v i i

‘ wh o m m Wynnstay , fro his earliest youth deter ined upon ike e i n p g a regular pack of foxhounds , after the type of

. P l n ar d i r R u e s to . G e n S ichard e . Mr Leech on the side of

c n .M tto n Si r R o H l ou try , Mr y and wland il on the Shropshire side had kept the ball rolling i n succession to

Si r R s c 1 83 3 b u t M tto n wa s o o ichard in e , y t o fond f bag

h an . Mr . e c sh o men , and L ech unted after eccentri fa i n

Si r Watkin was hardly of a ge before he bought the Carden

ack H p , and being a soldier in the ousehold Brigade , he t w H a e . A te , oo , o t e sk d his friend , Mr y of Light d all t ak I two . t charge of them , which he did for seasons is a

m t . w G at er of history , how, hen he sold out of the uards ,

-h e n d n made judicious purchases of hou s , engaged J oh

. Walker from the Fife coun try (the successor there of 1 845 To m s t , t Crane) , a his hun sman and formed in wha

h as a e wn W u n alw ys since be n kno as the ynnstay co try. I am now treading on living history there are f e w of us

W a but have experienced the excellence of alker , both as

b o u n ds w n huntsman and a judge of , and kno how lo g an d

f aithfull y he served a worthy master ; and h o w he was d l followe by an equally accomp ished huntsman , if not s o

o , P e om e P c an d great a h undman in ayn fr th yt hley , h o w s e e e o W e h e i n hi s hi r ign n arly qualled that f alk r , w il h retirement e has survived his Master . Stephen Goodall took his place for the last two seasons of the late Si r

’ W i t m at , atkin s l fe , and al hough he ca e with a gre

r n a m eputatio from Meath , and belon ed to celebrated fa il . g y

' m W n a o f hunts en , he failed to win his way at y nst y.

. Pa No easy matter to follow such men as Walker an d yne . uGo o dall is yet young ; he has many excellent points i n

w m the hich he should excel as a hunts an , and Borderer is

man h last to wish to injure one , who , in flying at very hig v i The W n n s ta ack ii y y p .

m ga e has failed . If Goodall will on ly take to heart th e

n h as ma lesso s that he learnt since he left the Meath , we y e t s e e h i m y a huntsman of no mean repute .

Si r W d o e s c o o e e . atkin f und th houn ertainly n t s v n , ’ o r w o c an d s u W re i me ith s much ry dash a nder alker s g , b u t h e has made hounds his study from his earliest ‘ s w -i n chool boy days , and he hipped to his friend R owland H ’ T I unt s rinity Beagles , so that do not doubt that he will

e seve e c , o , I s p r r in the right tra k here never f rgetting tru t , t t hat nose , tongue and sense must be served, and tha Withou t thes e essentials no pack of hounds in such a varied

n can a di cou try as his is , hope for general run of goo s I f o r Si r port . have heard it said that several years

’ Wa i e s tk n s hounds have not been not d for tongue, but thi 1 w w W do kno , that when crossed ith the elsh hound, as

t . R t o f. hey were by the late Mr ober Luther, so long Master l ' U d n . I w the nite , their tongue and drive are mag ificent el r a - h W t ecollect big , light coloured ound called elling on that Walker gave to Luther ; he was very deficientin tongue w ’ t himself , but his blood did wonders ith Luther s ligh

n d f w It b a e . e bitches , , if any of them , were silent would t t I , t c U o , s reason , fear o advise a dip ba k into nited bl od ju

e t I li by way of trial , and y have not the s ghtest doubt but that the result would be of great benefit to Wynnstay

i W i a t w s port . S r atk n has opened his M s ership ith some

I v won o o t s he n o es s ow. a e derfully g od sp r , a t se t will h h ‘ n o t had s o many Opportunities of sharing in it as could h d b e ave been wished , and have often been oblige to

i n m s s . debted to friends for v accounts of runs , and the crap o f I N n sport have picked up . obody is heartier tha

B Si r W orderer , however, in wishing atkin and Lady Williams Wynn a lon g unbroken spell of happiness i n their

E C A PT A IN PA R K YA T S .

- i r x The S hrops h e .

ov v s ee e c o ov pr ided he ha e p d , a hunt r that an g well er

’ n Cheshire , can go well over almost every other cou try . I co o o s o s o s uld go thr ugh a l ng li t f Che hire w rthie , wh o have made the country famous for its huntin g

S R o c ks av a prowess . ince my last notes appeared Lord ge has entered upon his family estates as Marquis of r Ch o lm o n de l e an d y, it is needless to say that both he an d the Marchioness are seldom missing where hounds — a re to be found and f oxes are as thick as blackberrie s

round the Castle , and in the vale surrounding it .

C heshire lies so handy to the great towns, and has such

n W n ce s o , e , C e i hunting quarter at Broxt r nbury rew ,

T r W N antwich , a porley , and hitchurch , that there is

r little wonder at the big fields , which cong egate nearly

. Th e always at their meets . Masters must often wish that the m ajority cared m ore for hunting and less for

r n I e m a idi g . nde d , some of them y be said to resemble W m the late Mr. illia Coke , whose fault was that he was to o f as t f o r ho u n ds !

’ Of Shropshire I touched very fully in my last season s

n d t f e w n o a ch , ss tes , here again here are anges to note unle

Mr i n deed the future may be said to have brightened by .

’ u S Lonsdale s consent to hunt , free of s bscription , the outh

o t f C , o t h h Co w , e w untry in addi i n o t e Nort untry , hich a

’ r a o was two - -a - y ea s g , a separate day s week country,

u H H T presided over successf lly by Mr . ulton arrop . his is l a oo t , I t u , o b n all will apprecia e and it will , r st ead t

T e complete harmony in the future . hatcher still carries th h o t h H s rn , bu we have muc missed arry Beavan as fir t

It t w h as whip . is sa isfactory , ho ever , to hear that he made such a promising début as a huntsman in the South

“ a c d Sta o rdsh i re country . Foxes h ve been ex ee ingly Al i hto n The br g . xi

d w n o t plentiful (as in eed they areevery herethis season), but — particularly straight -necked the bes t gallops h ave been

Th S u h as o u t w a rings . e outh Co ntry come ell , especi lly C P c o w t h t , t o it hf rd , here olonel Co es as been residen ins ead f

a t W w having his horses hitchurch , and has sho n lots of H . w G h a s r foxes , and good ones ard ick orse neve failed S t h s hawbury and he Lea ave been as usual prolific, and o l E have Preston Gu b b a ds and Leaton . rcall h as been unlucky ; Twe ml o ws not so good as last season ; I i o s f o rd has yielded one brilliant gallop ; Battlefield is better than last year H oll y Coppice and S u n d o rn e have scarcely been asked a question since the season began Preston Spring s

A c R e n ald r u n s an d h as and ton y have yielded good , so — Loppington one run while Coton has n o t b een tenantless . P o C w D o to epl w, het ynd and the rayt n side are nothing f W W th e o o w o , o th b ast , hile ithington od ne of e best in

! Th e hunt , has not had a hound in it this season Master is about to change his quarters from Gre di n gto n to

S w w . havington , hich ill place him a trifle nearer his kennels t c t w c o e Borderer trus s that the bad s en , hi h hung ab ut th

u h t h e general election time , will not rec r , and t at future of Shropshire will bear favourable comparison with the past

—we 7 cannot see how the most devoted Conservative could bett e r th e cause of foxhunti ng by declining to support the present ré gime . In the A lbrighton Country I have had fewer opportunities o f t I , ce enjoying myself than las year , but fear that ex pt I i T i n o , h s S r om s N vember ave not been a great loser, a h a and Lady B o u gh e y have not had a more trying season d th e i r l o n r n i n an d thi s to o uring g app e ticeship thecountry , , , f a b t w rom no f ult u the utter perversity of our climate , hich i n u . a plough co ntry like this , is fatal to scent Both xii N o r th S tafio rdshi re .

W l J w are Scott and il ones , the huntsman , and first hip , e ce t rv o ; are x llen se ants , and slaves t sport the hounds

first - I rate , and all mean business , so that cannot but condole with them over the circumstances over which they have no control . N orth Staffordshire is much in the same state as the

D i s u s o Al o c e s , c s o e bright n , ex ept , p rhap that i ken n t q it I at keen as he used to be . have heard of his staying m n n ho e on days , that to us , appeared warrantable hu ti g , — S A ones such as the hropshire tcham Bridge Friday , when the ground rode softly enough , in all conscience .

S D an d f o till , ickens knows his business , can hunt a x

I ' against most men . wish this vile lon g frost had n o t

’ u pset Borderer s calculations of having a few days with m the .

Th e m Ludlow do not crow with their whilo vigour . There have been very few of those long point to po in t "

runs that so cheered an d enlivened them last seas on . R adnorshire has not once been touched upon although the N orth H ereford about D ocklow an d Marston Firs — has been paid a visit and the Worcestershire at Clifton

o n -T I n eme . truth , there is a great grief here , because

” their pleasant paths for the last twen ty years have been

n an d n “ rudely i terrupted , they have awake ed to the fact

t Wi ckst d n d ut . e a b hat Mr they are to part , not wholly, I m as their Master . can scarcely trust yself to speak

o n s this matter , where old associations and friendship

re T h a so nearly concerned . here was a flicker of ope

that the chord would not be broken , and yet it has gone ,

’ an d Si r William Curtis of Cayn ham Court is now elected

th e future Master of the destinies of the Ludlow .

h Of n t an d T e history the Ludlow cou ry is interesting, T l w he L ud o . xii i

R h as n o t bee n told for many years . Mr . ichard

an s e o f E - m a D y aston Court , my great grandfather , y be

said to have been its first master , though he hunted the Herefordshire side of the coun ty more than i n

S hropshire , while Mr . Childe , of Kinlet , took the Cleobury

Mr A m d H . . an Clee ill side da s came next , and lived at ’ P r . L lo s co a o , M R obe c o e e ud w , with hi djut r rt ri e f Bitt rl y ,

o f n a n oted sportsman of his day , the father Colo el P M R W H . R . rice , aster of the adnorshire and est

H n Th e o f A Hereford ou ds . picture old dams cheering

m n o n n S S . his hou ds , adorns a y a outh hropshire wall

r D n F M . a s e n y was a great frie d of Lord orester , and of

N m i n hi m i rod , and the latter speaks very high terms of

S o — m as a p rtsman his voice was so usical , and his style A o f en couragin g his hounds was so like Musters . goo d

- story is told of his having dismounted o n e day to alter

. his girths or saddle , just as the hounds were finding

n m their fox , and bei g unable to ount very quickly , he ,

o t at last , seized a favourable Opportunity , and g well

n s A m back i to his addle . la entable disaster however — T o . J ccurred crack went his braces here , by ove ,

’ s “ —I aid he to himself , there s a pretty job have only

’ n I ll a take to wear braces six weeks , and bet a guine

m f x r o . M I lose y breeches before we kill this .

’ D an s e s s o n n y also hunted part of the Ludlow cou try , m M n d . a afterwards beca e aster of the Oakley Mr . Adams was celebrated for having a huntsman that rode

m an d n i m o u a ule , had the best ha ds on h that y could

m D n n . A A n Mr. a se co ceive fter da s and the seco d y, c m Wh e tmo re — a e Mr . Stubbs of the who , aided by

s s o n l n o c l e o me e s , hi Or a d , a apita p rf r r in th pig kin and

o n a M an d m old Gi de aw y, oorcock, others far ed the local Mr k d Wi s e . . C . W xi v . c t — cups hunted these hounds for a long period , showing;

S d ; capital sport . Orlando tubbs afterwar s took the H A . e the lbrighton country , and died there was a

n o f th dashi g huntsman in his best day , something e J H style of em ills , and never dwelt over bad scenting G f plough s . Lord if ard came here for a season or two ,

H H S f m e . W. . o fro erefordshir , and then Mr itwell ,

Ferney all took them , and to him the country owes a

Th e “ great deal . hounds were judiciously drafted and

e h . improved , and although in Nichol had hardly a w heaven born huntsman , he showed hat a thoroughly d to isinterested and hearty country gentleman can do ,

f o r H i s keep a hunt together the enjoyment of all . reign 1 86 3 lasted ten seasons , when , in , he was succeeded by

Major Murray , a local man , a good horseman , fond of

w e n a a gallop bet e the fl gs , and riding nice horses ; but

o f ff n h i m the cares O ice soon began to sit heavily upo ,

f o r i 6 w a . . W W cks te d i n 1 8 6 an d . he made y Mr C , whose father had left Cheshire and N orth Staffordshire for the rougher locality Of Sh ake n h u rs t in Worcester m “ shire , where he amused himself with about the ost

o f b rri r E perfect little pack a e s in urope . Charles junior had inherited the same fondness f o r hounds as his

w an ' father , and hat was more to the purpose , was f o . H e equally fine judge their best points had , when

n he became Master of the Ludlow , very good grou d to S . n i work upon , as Mr itwell had spared no expe se n

’ Si r W an d e ts o vo , s e g tting draf fr m Bel ir atkin , th — e an d G o H s s s e soon B rkeley with e rge ill a hunt man , h I s o s c . n 1 86 9 Geo H s made the p rt a pe iality , rge ill

e re f o rdshi re went to the , and Mr . Wi cks te d took t h e

W am m . horn with illi Lockey , pro oted from whip to n s Hi s H o u d . xv

T ken n el huntsman and first whip . his happy union

1 879 as ma lasted till , when Lockey went hunts n to

W i an d J . Captain Ames in orcestersh re , Overton took S his place with the Ludlow . ince then there have been frequent changes in the kennels , until at the beginning of last season the Master once more resigned the b o rn to I J o so wh o c s , v es o n , hn n , holds the pla e till and belie e go

i r W . So with S illiam Curtis , in the same capacity great and adept at kennel management and hound lore is

Wi cks te d Mr . , that he has compiled a regular hound

stud book , which shows the descent Of his present pack S 1 85 3 w . from , hen Mr itwell first became Master , and he has most cleverly contrived to trace his o wn blood Th throughout more than thirty years Of management . e

w d r u Ludlow is such a i e Count y , running into fo r

n Counties , and its woodlands are so stro g that it requires imme n se energy and love o f hunting for a man to succeed i n It o f o f . s , oo o o e it require t , a pack h unds full t ngu to e t o h st o s and drive g foxes away fr m t eir r nghold , and this has been the chief di culty that all Masters o f this Country have had to contend with since Borderer’ s

i ck s te d earliest hunting days . W taking the cue from his — father has always been a stickler f o r blood a hound — - f o r I s cannot be too high bred him unmindful , venture

n n ofte to thi k , that it is not the strong point o f these

' -b o s o s o i c u lti e s s e i high red ne t truggle thr ugh di , p ak ng frequen tly and carrying a head through coverts Of from o n e -hundred to a thousand acres ; c onsequently he has

ff i n su ered from slackness his pack , when the scent has not se v on r s b o t o n o r ed , and l g ti ing day have r ught him li tle r

We o f d blood . none us like to acknowle ge ourneighbours

i n to be better than ourselves , nor are they , altogether , “ xvi The Un i te d .

“ n an d I this insta ce , yet believe that the crossed blood of

‘ the United is be tter suited to the Ludlow Country than

" S - . I the beautiful pack that hunts it elf willed devils ,

m an Ho w fancy I hear some good say . can Borderer be

W n m s uch a fool . ell granted eve that , nevertheless ore s port and fin er straightaway runs will be had with these

’ - strong willed , dashing , low scented , persevering devils

( n n o ver rough and smooth grou d , taken together , tha with

n . a n y other kind of hound you can me tion .

N e v e r di d I h e ar S u ch all an t ch i di n f o r b e si de s th e ro v e s g g g ,

h ki e s th e o u n tai n s e v e r r e i o n n ar T e s , f , y g e Se e m al l o n e mu tu al c ry

' n e r h e ard so mu si c a a di sco rd su ch swe e h u n d r I e v l , t t e .

‘ ~ A ll that is required with such a pack as the United

‘ m m is good kennel anage ent . By this I mean keeping

“ m the pack under proper control , and teaching the a

di n d u e respect , and perfect obe e ce to their hunts

- T a man . hey then become the easiest m naged hounds in

fi - the world , still retaining suf cient self reliance to carry

' h ro u h fi w g - th e m t g dif culties , hich a hi h bred foxhound would scorn to submit to without the cheering voice of his

n huntsman . Such are the United o w under the manage

‘ r f A w me n t o c , W Old le once ith the heatland , and still H t Mr . r e o man mas ered by John arris , the most wo thy v h o f t e o o h o , man ho o M ntg merys ire b rder a , w bey nd all others deserves the appreciation in which he is held far

n d w c Th a ide in his own ountry . e sport shown by the

e Th o f United this year has be n wonderful . e average foxes said to have been killed after good runs is some

h I a t ing extraordinary , but am fraid to repeat it from

An d an m s h Ih e ars a . w o s y if y of y reader , are hound lover ,

xivi ii The N o rth So u th an d We st Here ord , , f .

top boots amon g the whole field ; depend u pon it they are

sportsmen . In Herefordshire things I rejoice to say continue with

a Lu tw h e little alteration . Capt in yc has consented to

f e w r continue his mastership , which , for the last yea s has m been in commission al ost annually , much to the damage

Hi s of its prestige . sport this season , especially since

a S “ f Christm s , has been above the average , utton alls and B the odenham country being the scenes of good runs . It is curious to no tice h o w seldom scen t lies in this country

n . I n an d u til after Christmas have oticed it foryears past ,

a a h the foxes seem aw re of it lso , for t ey go straighter . H m F r k . a e e w t , Capt in Le is and Mr elme have , as join asters

Th e t S u a . e in the o th , ch nged places latt r now akes the

an d fi n a . H o w th e horn , the former the eld ma gement

w n w T change will ans er ext season ill prove . hey both

a th e i r h e ar ts w r an d h ve in the o k , have been judiciously w crossin g their hounds ith the Llangibby .

P i n IVe s t H R Colonel rice ereford and adnorshire is , like

Wi ck s te d w fi u re h e ad Mr. in the Ludlo county , the g of th h h ff t e s ip , although t ey di er in heir appreciation of

P u d d Welsh blood . Colonel rice , it is tr e , foun the bloo

w S u d w co u n tr v to his hand hen he came from the o th o n , and was not at first so much in love with it as experience — has since tau ght him to b e still the result h as been a

n o P u wonderful a d u nbrok e n su ccess . Col nel rice still h nts

h h an d h w r t ( f w h an hu m t em imself , s o s spo hic y nts an

Th e a t u . need be pr oud . pack to look is nique More like

an v t b u t t n th e United perhaps than o her, s ro ger in the i s an d ss w backs an d lower on the leg , the r handine as ell ,

m k b S ti e me n do u s w e as cleverness are re ar a le . ome runs er

h o . enjoyed t is seas n , especially in the early part of it One

R h ds e n ce c W n s ai t to run from y p , lose to hit ey, tr gh xi x

G m f c , w e w m las w and killing him there, ithin a iles of

B u n t m . It o ilth , speaks for itself could have been uch

th e less than twenty miles . A nother from big woods P near resteign to the Craigie rocks , and back across V R o B u rv ah co the ale of adn r to , vers a fair lot of Th H groun d . e We st ereford country has also do n e A well . fox from close to Kinnersley took them to R H ’ ’ Lady Lift and obin ood s Butt , and on to Kings

P w e yon , h re he got on some buildings and managed to

. H e u n two dodge them was fo d dead the next morning ,

r . Th e d fields further on , however , f om over exertion fiel W were lost (including the master) in Lady Lift . ould any hounds without a Welsh cross have gone entirely

m w u through this im ense oodland naided , and for miles beyond ? N o b o dv reached them until long after th e ru n was over .

. R H h I Mr eginald erbert takes the Monmouths ire , hear , in succession to C aptain H anbury Williams . I have not yet touched on the Worcestershire , although

n e they certainly ought not to be passed by in silence . O d ay that I have had with them this season at the R e d Lion , H olt , has been bysome means omitted frommynotes . It was

e t w n n not a distinguished day , and y it is orthy of me tio , an d b e shall added here .

W 1 1 th I W rn On ednesday , the , stumbled upon the o ce s te rsh i re R d H D n e , . o e w at the Lion olt ent n , the i huntsman , had a pretty and workmanl ke pack of bitches ,

- a h d and the turn out w s all that it s ould be . I was amuse at the unu sual incident of a l adv ridin g u p to the meet e e o e d wh h h lad n with sandwich s or pr g of som kin , ic s e

t S O w presen ed to the huntsman and whips . big ere the

Th e parcels that they filled even their capacious pockets .

i n w we field dropped to the tune of fifty or sixty , and a ay xx

Ocke ri d e W d -a c v t v r went to g ood, a big hun red cre o er , e y

f x To - u often the abode of a good o . day we took p a

a position in the middle ride , and to only few did the s o a m und of find co e at the top corner , and even these did not reali ze the fact that hounds were away until th e

An soun d waxed f ainter each moment . unfortunate

m a u m s cri m ge occ rring at the oment , owing to two horses becoming oddly entangled in the reins of the other, made

m Mr . W W atters worse, and we trust atson , of aresley , was none the worse for his encounter with mother earth . Meanwhile houn ds had gone away almost alone over a

n w M an d n o n e good li e to ards artley , o ly of the field, good between the flags , had caught them . It was an amusing stampede , which a check close to Martley Church put

n t a s straight , and with u i ed forces , and at lower pace, we m i w crossed the a n road close to the orkhouse , and jour n e ye d over the hill until we faced the river Teme below

S H w r helsley . ere he dropped do n as if to c oss , and ran

m d A n ke rdi n the ea ows , leaving e Wood and hill on his

Kn i htsf o rd w h e left , until within a mile of g Bridge , hen c h ad rossed , and the remaining field to bustle on to the

b the v n . P ridge , if intended to see them agai ersonally,

’ Borderer was doing a bird s -eye view of the fun from the H hill . ounds now ran into the Ledbury cou ntry at

W h r an k hitbourne alone , and then turned up the o t e b of the

- - o u T . Th e rivertoClifton eme huntsmanpickedthemup , and w h m I vie ed his fox dead beat close to t e , heard , but failed

h i m n to bring to hand , so that after a lo g run of more H than three hours , he lives to fight again . ounds

e A n ke rd n e probably chang d near y , but , be this as it may,

n me W . it was a sporti g day , and showed that the orcester shire are in good form, and that Denton knows his

u s n s s . H e d n n r b i e was quiet an patie t , with plenty of e ve i r Hi s o The t ry. xxi

’ . A an d determin ation when required During Mr. mes

mastership th e Worcestershire have done well . Great care has been take n in rearing the hounds and keeping t w ogether a pack orthy of the sporting shire , where It farmers support foxhunting almost to a man . is now fourteen years sin ce Worcestershire was divided into Th o . e s E two c untries we t side under the arl of Coventry , m be ing called the Croo e . From the day that he left

college , some thirty years ago , Lord Coventry has devoted

m i n R f o r hi s elf to hunting his own county . acing a short hi m time claimed as its devotee , but his old love never really

A s m . was put aside . a hunts an he was quick and decisive

A s s A s a horseman bold and judgmatical . a ma ter of

- . W u hounds , good natured and popular hile as a j dge of horse or hound he yields to no superior . Lord Coventry

Mr P gave up the Croome country to . Lort hilips three h so s o e el e t o . sea n ag , and in turn yi d d up au h rity to Mr ” W G m Su o lk alter reene , fro , two seasons back , and the

latter has won his way well , as he deserves to do . Mr. o P s s e e N o W w c sh L rt hilip ha tak n th rth ar i k ire , where

he appears more at home . There are several old masters W o e o ces s v . o H en f th r ter hire li ing L rd indlip , wh plain

Mr A . llso , e o se so s an d e o pp was mast r f r several a n , b f re hi m Mr J R — . ohn ussell Cooke s was master a capital s t m w por s an , al ays breeding and riding good horses , a

r man chee y in every relation of life . There is a sad page e s o o m s e s o Wo ces e s e s in th hi t ry f a t r f the r t r hir , a the

- Mr . P late arker, a well known :old sportsman of the

n f co , e e s s , I bel eve i n o v e rt H e s unty d d hi day i p y, wa a ’ n i mro d s “ great frie d of N , who thus speaks of him ; Thi s I P Mr . n . can say of arker that , ext to Mr Charles

B o u ltb e e I n hi m n , co sider the best man o n a bad hu ter

n n o h n —e Th i deed u ter at all th at I ever saw. e s eat xxi Mr P rk d i . a e r an Mr J o hn Pr ce . i .

and han d of Mr . Parker appeared to be perfe ct as to giving assistance to his h orse over a deep co untry like Worcestershire ; and f o r n e rv e I need not go beyond the fact of my seeing h i m ride an old groggy horse over a good gate ” A in a very hard frost . n other old sportsman alluded to m ’ m Mr . P by the sa e author , as a co peer of arker s , was

Mr . J n P o ce , o R o o b ee o o s s h ri f yall , n t nly a r der f h r e an cco s e o sem n b e H o s and a mpli h d h r a , ut a gr at eref rd hire

— “ cattle breeder h e actually refused two thousand guineas

n o f (a rattli g price in those days) , for the pick of ten his

1 H e n best cows , bar one k ew how to sell his horses , for he sold two to the then Lord D eerhurst for five hundred

n e —n n gui as each o e of which , that he called Judgment , had all the best of a big run i n the Grafton count r y with

' him for a pilot . Speaking of that heavy side of the

m P D i R country , fro ershore and roitw ch to edditch , o W c s c s o ub e s adj ining arwi k hire , whi h i und t dly the be t

an d W scenting , the pick of orcestershire in a hunting

point of View , the present agricultural depression has — materially added to its attractions an immense extent of coun try formerly un der plough has b e en allowed to go

n u tilled , and rough pasture now abounds , where formerly

Th e H n F ' wheat grew . old a bury orest bids fair to

an d n reassert itself , scrubby blackthor bushes are already

n m springi g up all over the fields , aking it a fine wild

country , with fences that require a hunter to negotiate .

I am i . A glad to say that Worcestersh re under Mr mes ,

still brings out some good riders to hounds , and that there is some young blood springin g up of the never -to -b e =

denied Stamp , which bids fair to keep alive the sterling spirit of horsemanship for which the fruit and hop shire

has been so long celebrated .

Th e n I c followi g will , believe , prov e to be a corre t o o rce s te rs hi re Old Mas te rs f W . xxiii

chron ological table of Worcestershire mastership s an d their huntsmen since 1 83 0

HU S . M Y A . MAS S E R TER NT EN .

H r P . 1 83 0 to 1 83 6 M . arker imself Carter and 1 83 7 1 8 45 to Captain Chandler G rant . D o n . A C ee , H le ommitt ud y T M W . athews . ard , chairman T . Mathews 85 E s R . . W S 1 847 to 1 849 J Cookes , q ill tansby 1 848 in . D o 1 85 0 to 1 85 4 Major Clowes . R E s 1 8 . . W 1 85 5 to 5 6 J Cookes , q John ard .

Major Clowes . J o In tl W. 1 85 7 to 1 86 4 y Mawe . J R C o o ke s Fu S . .

H E s D . . o . 1 8 6 5 F Vernon , q E D O H . o s . G F . Vern n , q eorge 1 86 6 to 1 86 9 Join tly H A E s 1 86 8 llsopp , q Orvisin . u e n s u r H Th e Mar u i s e b . m 1 8 70 to 1 8 7 1 q o y i self . 1 11 1 8 72 the Th e E arl o f Coventry Country was took the Croome , and T m hos . C " E s H A . d . ivided to llsopp , q the 1 8 73 Worcestershire A s E s 1 8 4 . D O 8 . 7 to 1 7 6 F me , q E H m 8 . s 1 8 . 7 7 to 1 7 9 C Morrell , q i self W ill . Lockey , A E s D 1 88 to 1 8 6 . e n 0 8 F mes , q Charles to n i n 1 885 .

Th e Ledbury and Cots wold also come into the West

D t b u t was Midland is rict , in such a chequered season it T l to u . I impossib e get ro nd them heir sport , fear , has

O b u n tr n o t been quite u p to the mark . N o y could have been harder l i i t than the Cotswold wi t h the intermitte nt

b n frost , snow , hail , and wind , with which it has ee

I k - . i c s favoured , and hope that Mr Beach , the new

w n o t Master ill be discouraged , but persevere , and xxi v Yorkshi re .

N othin g but the same excuse preven ted me payi n g my

Y d n s usual trip into orkshire , and iversifying these ote I with a whisper of their doings . am delighted to be m able to state , fro a friendly authority of the best

n t an d descriptio , that that pillar of hun ing all that

n Mr G n Fo x appertai s to it , . eorge La e , is slowly but

n m n an d surely recoveri g fro his serious ill ess , with

n n n u n m retur i g Spri g , he tr sts to rise o ce ore equal to the

“ n n Th e B m occasion of respo di g to the toast , ra ham -fi and its twenty ve couple . There are man y other things that may have been s aid

- n n W about fox hu ti g as a whole , and the est Midlands

n i n in particular , which have bee left unsaid , this second

s m serie of y notes for the past year , but the circum stances un der which they have been written have had

n f an d a depressi g ef ect on their author , were it not that

n d H M s o n a s s , . . . tto n hi y u g ri ing arti t Mr F y , had spurred h i m on by his spirited sketches and promise Of

Si r W assistance , and that atkin and Lady Williams Wynn and other good sportsmen had put n o t only their

h i s o s es , b lso oo s es p rtrait at beh t ut a their g d wi h , he

n T o o v e . o o v w uld fai n t ha e att mpted it wait , h we er , o o e co v s so ma e com s f r a m r n enient ea n that y nev r e , i ’ h u n t r s m not a f o x e otto . We always try to take things as m m m a they co e , and co e what y, we accept the — country over which our fox chooses to take u s only d o e s , v o n s oo an d o elighting t rid traight gi e h u d r m , n t — e e o e eo e a c e s e v int rfer with th r p pl qui k ey , t ady ner e , t m soft hand , s rong grip , and good temper , carry a an m l I over any troub es , and , trust , will continue to do so long after the notes of the season 1 885 -86 have passed into oblivi on .

2 H UN TI G AN D SP R TI G TE N O N NO S .

l d H h ounds have tasted plenty Of b oo . orses have n o t f d d d su fered from the har groun , and everything is rea y r n n W \V n n f o . t th s t a h t s a good begin i g i h e y y un , a w n your readers are all a are , a cha ge has come over the ’ s c e n e w n t o a S i r \V atki n s d — an , o i g the l te eath event t m w d hat all sports en , Of hatever type , most eeply d eplored , because they felt that they had thus lost the A head and front Of hunting in the county . man , w h o r r , for more than fo ty years , had done eve ything t hat money , influence , tact , and experience could do to make their pleasures Of the hunting second to none U Si r W w in the nited Kingdom . atkin , ho ever , still l d ives in his successor , and buil ing , as the present Si r W w d o o n t he d atkin ill , foun ations and example s e t I n o t th e him so splendidly , have slightest doubt w w w that , if all goes ell ith him , he ill have a still h to o n greater c ronicle Of success hand , let us hope , to a n l o g line Of heirs . W ith a stable full Of nice horses , an improved pack o f n e w m a hounds a keen heart , a hunts n , and all the c w c a n w f o r r a ountry at his back , hat he ish mo e , in ’ u w ! W sporting sense , in this subl nary orld illiam L o cKe n e w a I k w n y s y , his huntsm n , have no n so ma y ear t I o f t o o u o f f o r r u d hat am shy saying m ch him , fea it sho l O r wo n be considered mere f ulsome praise . N man eve his s purs s o thoroughly as he di d while in the Ludlo w country - as w wa s I s aw a hip he certainly the best ever there . i n n m n m wh o while ke nel a age ent he had a master , d to h r “ Th w elighted teach i m eve ything . en he ent o r1 l i n to Wo rcestershire the L u dlo w men grieved te 1 b y. It took him some time to shake 0 f the “ h i p an d — become th e huntsm an a place in which very f e w m e n have succeeded in Worcestershire Th e truth t o f tell , it is essentially a blind and di ficult country , d It r inhabite by fast pushing men . car ies a poor s i t s are u cent and foxes short running , torturo s beggars , a s Th e d u a rule he ges are so high and ncut , and s o d w m t there is much he gero ti ber , that a hun sman d an d f e w has a poor chance Of getting forwar , kills e W h as l n fox s . ith all this , Lockey eft many stau ch f NVo rc e s te rs h i re w I m riends in , and ill , am sure , ake H m m S . e any fresh ones in hropshire has te per ,

MS WYN N BA R . S IR WA T KIN W IL L IA , T u n i n a llo C u b h t g g ps . 3 — discretion , perseverance and pluck four rare good i n o r P a ttributes any man , be he huntsman , rime

Minister . Th e man y gallops that alre ady have been wafted o n Ash t h e wind to me have been delightful . has afforded n N e s s c li ff e r VVO Odh o u o e s o t t , s e , , has he coun y and the n R d r ear e nal , an ext aordinarily fine run over a line i n S H o n s econd to none hropshire , leaving alston his P a l left , straight to etton , a little beyond which they f ir y n a h iled him in the open , a good eig t mile point Of superb

! w W galloping . NO onder that all the stables in hitchurch a re t f o r aken , and that orders breeches and boots in r r e u No th Sh opshire xceed previo s records . Mr . o n w H r Lonsdale has nly cha ged his hips , ar y Beavan having gone as huntsman to Mr . Foster in South f I w S . e n e w taf ordshire fear shall miss him , as the I d o s o men , hear , not shake into their places quite w ell , or seem able to get over the country so quickly as an E y used to do . very allowance should be made , w r ho ever , because the count y is strange to them . T r hatche brings a beautiful pack into the field , and has - A had a good cub hunting . mong several good mornings , o n e r m r f o Leaton Knolls , and another f om Condover n o t n w W must be forgotte , hile from alford last week tw they had o very good gallops that pleased everybody . Youn g Thatcher takes his place in the field for the first t m w I i e as second horseman , and ill , have little doubt ,

b o . soon earn promotion , for he is a smart y t h e A I an d Of lbrighton , all hear is most cheering , there cannot be a doubt that the se ason thus f ar suits u Y o u I a the co ntry . will hear Of good sport here . f iled -t o S h v get to the tretton Meet , or should a e spoken more in the present tense . S u d . W u I , th h t t h e Mr mmers in e ea lan Co n ry , ave fail d e t to hear much about as y , but your pages shall bear ’ d Of e re i f . B o r d re r s e recor their doings long , e fri nd is

faithful to his promise . Th e d w a m e ? an Lu lo , too , h ve not telephoned as yet y

.n a w ews of importance . Scent before the r in as ins ufficient

‘ ar for their purpose , although foxes there e in plenty . Since th e n Johnson has been warming to his work con

.s i l S de rab y . aturday was a drenching day for the usual H UN TIN G A D P R TI G N TE S 4 N S O N O .

H n Th e Ferney all ope ing Meet . United are by all t d m an d accoun s in goo for , shall not be forgotten

hereafter . Sh w R ace s w t th w re sbury ill engross atten ion is eek, and intending visitors to them will b e struck with the n e w broom that has been at work there Th e R acecou rse d d d an d I k wi b e Company have in ee not been i le , thin it ll u niversally admitted th at their exp e ndi ture has been d To d n d I . h u a t ju icious prop esy is angero s , yet canno b u t u are th e Of prognosticate s ccess , so ample capabilities u w n e w ro ri e tOI S the gro nd , and so illing ale its p p to

develop them .

‘Z SE D WE E V E MB E R . N D TH 7 . CON K , NO TO

Not all th e foresight or n e w brooms can ensure fin e d r an d ays in November , and so the di ectors managers o f Shrewsbury R acecourse C o mpan y had to conten d with alternate sunshine an d s tOI m Of no ordinary kind 0 1 1 T d t wa s O hu l s ay . I pitiable to see the p OI little jockey boys at the post f OI the B i adf OI d Nurse ry in a blindi n g Th e d Of Sh i o s hi re w r we d hailstorm la ies p , ho eve , sho l t w w a d n splendid p uck , for hey ere there , not ithst n i g the mu n i fice n ce elements ; and if youth , beauty , birth , and ’ were not well represented o n the Stewards Stan d ’ u Borderer s j dgment must have been greatly at fault .

H t o o n o 2 5 0 , ospitality , , seemed boundless ; for less than Th e i dined at one table , in relays . O cers Of the S R o u t hropshire egiment came right loyally , and so did a A e n ld R a . Leaton , Berwick , Chirk C stle , and cton y ’ U T S n o t nfortunately hursday s teeplechase did fill , and so the new course had to wai t another day before being

christened . Boundary , Mirth , Cohort , and Caradoc were names appropriate and Of good omen among ’ T w o n o n e Of t hursday s inners while Friday , our Oldes D and best patrons Of sport in all its branches , the uke of wo n E E Beaufort , the Cup with the astern mperor , in a ’ h grandly run race . Many a knowing one s ead shook ominously when E astern E mperor was not started for the n an d f o r Shropshire a dicap , kept the Cup instead , The S h re ws bu r C u —Whi tchu rch R ac co r y p e u s e . 5

two because miles was considered beyond his compass . In a a fast run r ce he appeared , a mile from home , o u t to be almost Of the race , and little Martin di d n o t begin to join the front rank un til they o f c ame into the straight , where some the w d leaders ran wide , and ith a splendi rush , he o n brought him up the inside , and settled the question n A O f his stamina there a d then . real Shropshire cheer I greeted his return to the paddock . hope next season S w m £5 0 0 f o r to see the hre sbury Cup ade worth , there is n o t a fin e r long distance handicap run during the year T . wo than this , following the Cesarewitch grand Off S R e d r u s s ar looking horses carried the teeplechase , in J o e m r and Old , and , perhaps , both are uch neare the top Of the tree in their li n e Of business than many people s u ( E f o r ppose . none made a good fight the unt Cup , w o t o n to a t n o t hen she g the course the finish , having t o w been able make up her ground in the plough , hich told its tale on Chancellor also . I shall hope t o see the New Steeplechase Course in A w great vogue in the first week in pril , hen there will be s takes f o r local horses as well as f o r the best Of every It c lass . is cheering to know that the receipts Of the n r meeti g more than came up to p evious expectations , t aking into consideration that the free list was a large n S r o n o e . everal impo tant improvements are the tapis , I t o u . and will , trust , be carried forthwith An d n o w i r W let us get back to the hunting . S atkin n had a rambling , jumping , tumbli g , and bathing day , on W W w . ednesday , hen his meet was hitchurch racecourse ’ S - o r andford never fails them , and to day s fox ( foxes) c hose a new line to his predecessors Of l ast season; as he broke by the cottage and over the Market D rayton road f o r ks to n H H aw e . ere an eager field encountered probably the biggest and blindest fences in the county ,

t o m w . say nothing Of peaty eado s , until he crossed the L o sf o rd L o sf o rd brook, and hid himself in covert , where th e Shropshire luckily had done plenty Of work two days d w before force from here , he popped do n over the brook B l e tch l below y , where it takes some jumping (the exact ’ s m y cene Of y artist s picture Of last season , onl the r n m everse way . ) Bank full now , it seemed to i vite victi s , H UN TIN G AN D S P R TI G TE 6 O N NO S . wh o h t th s t t s , loat ingly adap ed em elves o circums ance , a gallant colonel findin g himself an d horse o n opposite o f It sides this charming obstacle . cost him another w u d d t etting to regain his q a , and some hard ri ing o w St ch e catch the hounds , hich had gone to y , and then f o r D over the brook Little rayton , describing a circle by T H L o s f o rd k ern ill , towards again , with more broo w St ch e w jumping to ards y again , here eventually he went to g1 o u n d at the e n d o f two hours and forty A L f o 1 d . o s was l s i x minutes ltogether , brook c ossed I 1 1 times , and leave my eade s to judge how many immersions there were o f those wh o declined to look f o r — o f o n a bridge generally an average e in six . W t 0 11 h h sh d hile all this was being enac ed t e C e ire si e , the Shropshire were workin g away in the morning at L th wo o d w y , ith a very bad fox that declined to show w A as . sport , and killed close to the all brace in B o m e re (this is an improvement o n Last season) were an d headed at starting , declined to trust themselves in P r d . n the open afte war s From itchford , in the eve ing , to B ato n Ma s co tt di s tu 1 bi n a fox went away , g another G h e 1 e ab o u ts en route from olding plantation , so that foxes a re n o t n u f o 1 u s wa ting , and some fun m st be in store , i f earth stopping is atten ded to . Th e A I s lbrighton , should have said , found themselve m H T . . on uesday at four p , at Maer ills , in the centre of S ff f m the North ta ord County , thirty miles ro their "i G n O c . kennels , havi g started from y rove in the morning H ad not three -and-a -half couple slipped away in front i of the other this would have been a grand run . S r T m B o u h e I m h i s ho as has , hear , promised to co e into g y — N ewport country on a Saturday this will be some recompense to the Sh r e wsb u ryi te s for the loss of a hi t h d W c m ch Satur ay . ’ Th n f 1 m Stre ffo rd n e U t o o s . o e ni ed Friday , Bridge e j y d 1 o s e ct the , to them , unusual p p of finding a brace in Fe lh am to n s u a1 e p q covert near the railway , not more two than fifteen acres in extent , and running there for hours without cessation neither fox breaking and both A r s aving their lives . nother of this brilliant litte declined even to get out o f the way o f the m ail train last

~ week while eating a rabbit , and consequently the afore

.8 H U TI G AN D SP R TI G T N N O N NO E S .

and without a second horse it seemed cruel to go o n to H k t n ardwic e , with the almos certain conti gency o f x Th finding another f o . e country rode very heavy and w I strange to say ith a bad scent . daresay Borderer w d d f o r d o h s fi , ! o ill be col e n ing fault but , if ur S o wo o hr pshire field uld nly restrain their ardour , n w n o t especially alo g the roads , hen hounds are running o f an d w in front them , also their voices hen they view w d foxes in the open , hen houn s are close at hand , how m t uch they would contribute to spor .

1 TH IR D WE. E M 9TE 1 4 TH K , NOVE BER TO .

E vents that have interested sporting men and w o men w an d have come upon us thickly this last eek , helped to m s o check the political ania rife amongst us . l w Th A ink ith the past generation has been broken . e r H familiar form o f M s . Clement ill has passed away h d u t o f 1 T e . o st 1 s . h h M t to n fr m among a g er Mr Jo n y , “ o f H w J M tto n alston , better kno n as ack y , Mrs . C i n lement ill inherited , a marked degree , his nerve In d o f a n d sportin g tastes . the hey ay her life f e w c o r n ould cross a country e joy sport as she could , and she entered into it with a gusto s eldom seen in her sex n o w-a - d W n t o d ays . hen no lo ger able ri e she rarely m o n w w Si r W issed a meet heels ith the Cheshire , atkin , o r S w o f the hropshire , that came ithin a ten mile radius W m fi u d d hitchurch , and her fa iliar g re has been epicte ’ most effectively in Borderer s Spo rt i n g Notes o f 4 - w In H 1 88 85 . , by her nephe marrying into the ill family she added another con nection bet ween the three w S great families , with hich sport in hropshire will a — H an d M tt o n o ct th C t , s . lways be c nne ed e orbe s ills , y ’ Turning to a pleasanter s u bject I fin d the week s c d o f d u o f alen ar chronicles the marriage Miss Bid lph ,

‘ T . H H . . t w th . Chirk Cas le , i Mr Barclay appy in every m an d we Sh ro sense is this sporting atch , trust that p shire and Cheshire pastures wi ll o c c as mn ally tempt n these you g people to forsake Leicestershire , just to s h o w o u r r d n how us easier , and yet more va ie cou try o m s ti E ve n ts— A o n R e n a lcl 9 D e c ct y .

( b e I can got over in good form . hear the presents were ’ r s imply magnificent , and Borde er s blessings should be included . w Of hunting the eek has been full , and scent fair , but n m n othing really good has reached me from ear ho e . Si r W w B o re atto n On Monday , atkin at Baschurch ent I n o o f w a t h s ss . y , bu ear brag the bu ine done On R e w Tuesday Mr . . Corbet dr his usually large and eager to NVre n b u r S m cavalcade y tation , and gave the an w e njoyable day , in hich all could have a cut in , as the h di d n o t f t e . oxes took open well , but run straight Wrenbury Mosses produced two rings with separate o s t t w s t o f f xe , the firs a enty minute in the direc ion B n o t addiley , and the second over a like line , only such In a big circuit . both runs the foxes ran home , and In r s aved themselves . the afternoon from Ma ley Moss , t hey ran smartly past Marbury to Norbury Common , t d d t o o rb u r hen towar s Cholmon eley , and back N y stick oc o v e rt t o u ground , in abo t an hour , which wound up the

d ay well . W S o u t On ednesday , the hropshire turned in capital A R e n ald w t style , at cton y , here it is needless to say tha ’ S i r Vincent was delighted to hold o u t a foxhunter s hand t Th f o x o . e G all first betook himself at once to rinshill , N and popped himself into a rabbit hole . umber two o f o r fr m Moreton Corbet wood , was a better sort , he m S d o n eant business , leaving hawbury vi age his left , ’ passed t hrough Matthew s coppice and Shawbury eath ’ Si r i m to V ncent s gorse , and hotly pursued , gave the a t o f aste grass , and hairy fences up to the drain at H adn al w village , hich ended several bursts last season , a n d is evidently well - kno wn by m ost o f th e foxes If M W o n o ts . r. hereab u ard would put a grating it , w u hunting men o ld be grateful . What the evening n o t N o r d produced Borderer knows . oes he say any t T n d hing about hursday , except that the da cing ames

.a n d damsels o f the county d rew their annu al concourse o f r t t c H hunt unifo ms oge her in the Musi all , and went u Th e in for thorough enjoyment thro ghout the night . usual crowd was wanting o wing chiefly to improved a r I r angements amplifying the room . believe that the

-P o f n w wh o d eris the eve ing ere a peeress , ivides the 1 0 H U TI G AN D P R I T N N S O T NG N O E S . favour o f her residence bet ween Worcestershire an t} S w d hropshire , and a lady commoner , hose husban holds , h n or did old , a military post amo gst us . To Atcham Bridge went an unusually gay cavalcade o n w s Friday morning , and the elements ere as propitiou as they had been the reverse last season o n the same It occasion . is many years sin ce s o many carriages

“ d u u have grace this bea tif l meet , and at least a couple of d S hun red horsemen comprised the field . everal new u d fi n an d pinks fo n it a most tti g occasion to be aired , well might the master be congratulated 0 11 the soul o f inspiring scene , as a manifesto in favour foxhunting . Th e busi n e ss o f the d ay began with a vain search through Atti n h am P n h r w d . R a v e s aw g ark and ithy be s go se , ’ r splendidly situated f o a gallop . put life into the day s Its f o x e t w W proceedings . w n a ay boldly for the rekin , r o r d w e and for th ee four fiel s bold hearts gre bold r , and the timid ones looked ominously forward to the big hill f w e . w a miles ahead Before , ho ever , reaching the W R - n an d ellington oad , the fox turned left ha ded , n H 1 c 1 o s s e d the 1 ai lway d o “ 1 1 to the R i v e r T e n . e e came o f w i o r w we i e n o t visions s imm ng turning , hich put to tD ’ h e art was we h e the test , for the adversary s ak , and r t h e declined a crossing , ret acting his steps over railway ,

to o f . only yield up his brush near the point departure , at

D u n c o te a ring full o f promise at first ending to o soon . A t1 0 t to wa1 ds L o n n e r w T g follo ed , and hatcher , taking w b e d 1 “ the ithy nea the meet en route , unexpectedly d n u mb e 1 two w o ff f 0 1 L o n n e r H reveale , that ent g ouse , unearthing a la1 ge luncheon par ty as the hounds and

field dashed past the windows . ugging the river to P 0 11 reston Boats , and , opposite Belvidere , he turned i n n f 1 U H across the railway and U gto a m. p to augh

~ mond ill , a very pretty gallop , with some jumping , ' s u 1 ci e n t to make the Atcham day an equal to i ts . d c 0 1 i e e e s s s . H 1 p ere f esh foxes were going , and scent got worse . S 1 4 A aturda the th , the lbrighton met at y Wi lb ri h to n n g , but beyond ringing the cha ges about A u al at e n w W E q , and then getti g away to ards ood aton ,

I . not much fun resulted , hear Very good accoun ts reach me o f sport in West ' a i n W s ! H re r A tc ha m B r i dge A D y e e f o d . 1 1

h P H erefo rds ire . Colonel rice had a splendid run from ’

h d . A o n M 9 t . lmeley . onday , the Fin ing in Foster s W l d r ood , c ose to the meet , houn s ran ac oss the railway E d r y P - to ls on , nea l to enrhos , then left handed to B o lli n h am ue e s m o o r t o C wmm a g and Q , nearly Moor . ’ S n A kirti g this , he crossed the postle s Lane , down to A w H e G the rro , and past untingdon n arly to ladestry , . o H R d to then t the right over argest i ge nearly Kington . w i s d f o x Once more s inging round the hill , th splendi managed to c r awl into an earth in Wo rz e l with the pack Th e w as at h i s brush and saved his life . pace good all w a r the y, and thei run could not have been less than A I fifteen miles . very good day hear also resulted o n F ri d a v r H n o f w I a n o t f om unti gdon , hich h ve space to s k pea . T Th e “ e l sh po o l stag hunt came o ff a f e w days back n t o u o f a sporti g feast , which seems partake very m ch ’ o ld d E H d o wi s s t . P the efunct pping unt Lor fat s ag , w d f S i s dropped do n dea in front o the hounds . urely it w time that these exhibitions ere put an end to , time H o w honoured though they may be . much better that o f U P an d the heroes the day should be the nited ack , that a good fox from Powis Castle Park should be the ’ d - theme of his lor ship s after dinner oratory , rather than

a fat carted stag .

UR TH WE LE M 1 T H QIS G . FO K , NOVE BER TO T A w w broken eek , in hich Jack Frost has held s way for 11 three days , an usual occurence in November . 0 t Sh w t o H b e Monday he ropshire ere at Co n all , etwe n W an d W m A h t e . os t t i church cold fr ty morning , ha o u t d t o f sc c gave har ly a par icle ent , onsequently the

Coton foxes , in their usual tactics o f crossing the London ’ and North-Western towards Prees H eath and back m , ost s c s t wh w again had a uc e ful explora ion , ich ill benefit their understanding 0 1 1 the next occasion that w hounds put their po ers to the test . Some youth s n astonished the ma ter and field by letti g fly at a rabbit , . n m m was i n t h e o f whe uch bigger ga e line fire . Luckily 1 2 H U TI G AND P R TI N N S O N G N OTE S .

° ' his aim w a s not s u i ci e n tl y deadly for any harmful u n o t p rpose , but he really was a safe person to be n i th un Twe ml o w e trusted w a g license . s then afforded d o f several foxes , but these also ivined that the absence s f o r cent was an excuse staying at home , and so after m n o f H awks to n e wa aking a prete ce going y , and w S after ardsventuring towards andford , thisunsatisfactory d ay was brought to a conclusion . T W T I uesday , ednesday , and hursday were blank as

have said from frost . On Friday the Shropshire were at W e m S h tation , in a damp , cold , thawing atmosp ere , with h ” A t e plough land carrying . good fox in Broughton G wh o S n o t orse , and that knows hropshire does recollect the hairy fences and wide ditches abounding in

its surroundings , opened the proceedings . Luckily for t the majori y , hounds never ran really fast towards o n Baschurch , leaving Middle their left , and were fain to P d . n o t give him up at etton , Mr Lons ale persevering , Si r W t n was t o - A because a ki due here morrow . pretty

n n o n . T hu ti g run , declared those good jumpers hatcher w r r u n got a nasty roll , o ing to his ho se tryin g to through n o e o f these yawners and his horse fell on him I fear . At w was all events , as the sequel sho s , he unequal to e tti n i n to r n i n g g his saddle on the mo row . Loppi gton d — i 11 the afternoon i d not produce a fox t seldom does . O S w0 1 l d aturday , by common consent , all the and his wife to In S d went Baschurch . fact , Baschurch atur ays appear as if they were going to take the place o f o u r o ld If I Whitchurch Saturdays . began to gi ve a fashionable l o f o f t o I n s t s s t , s o i t the pa ron p”or day h uld be taki g a l e af o u t o ld b i n l of articles thefie d , who bolsters t th e H e rtf 0 1~ d sh i re o r u o f up a blank day wi h , a calf h nt ’ th e o f w wn Baron s , with half a column ell kno hunting S1 1 i c e o f n ames . it to say that from the Marquis w w r Cholmondeley do n ards it was a large gathe ing , in w as um S which n bered a large hropshire contingent , that o wn S Si r W deserted their pack at hawbury . atkin was to ll H a . e still absent , much the regret of has returned to W b u t t ht , s o s ynns ay from Brig on and i better , the d ctor ll sti recommend rest from over exertion , and in this bitter east wind sort o f weather he does wisely to leave n o f the reins o f mastership in the ha ds his brother . A FR E T H A H E R L D TC .

QM H U TIN G AN D SP R TI G TE N O N NO S .

o f 0 1 1 w g allop about seventeen minutes , hich there was f o r s wh o d plenty of room , and to spare , tho e care to go . S H th h o n e th u hawbury ea eld at j mped up in view , and h w w s w ounds ere in the same field ith him to tart ith . ’ Si r n No time to take a dive into Vince t s gorse , so leaving i t o n w r H w his right we ent a rattle to ard icke , to the t d G r ight of the house , and in o the roa as if rinshill was t w , t t t as his point bu he invariable urnip ga herer here , ” an d he s wung back into the plan tation s only to be forced w a n d r a ay again over the road to the left , ac oss the — railway a nice little boun dary fence with a fair ditch n u d m an d o the landing side , gave the ho n s roo , stopped — t h e ardour o f a n e w pink over the big fields towards Preston Gu bb alds we fle w m erri ly until o u r fox s u ddenly w w h t wo o f an d changed his mind hen it in fields it , r e - w n a r t crossed the rail ay e r the facto y , to the inevi able H adn al w r f o r village , —hich appea s to have a charm these S hawbury foxes hounds h u nted patiently through small n b u t enclosures and cottage garde s , eventually came to a w e h i m i n w s d t , t tan , and failed o mark any here al hough , as n o t f ar o ff n d t w , h th no doub , he as e ever crosse e All f e w n o w w t . , t , t urnpike road excep a en home , while the lingering hope of another gallop 0 1 1 what a to (l a n appe red be a good scenting y , took the rem ant , ’ w i n a Borderer included , to Matthe s Coppice , the e st corner o f which there were a b race that took so me persuasio n before o n e o f them could be fo r ced t o leave \ l his comfortable quarters . Vhen he di d s ip away we t s towards Moreton Corbet had a pretty star but , ala i n the scent of the morning had gone , and a few fields w s n o t b ad o n e t o f a . t h e fun the day over , and a ei her

‘ d r B o , v t , s o ker , probably had ne er hun ed houn s befo e o o n I that it was trying him high this occasion . trust a Thatcher will soon be all right ag in . Th e p resentation to Lady B o ugh e y o f her o wn and ’ r W \Vo l v e rh am to n h e husband s picture on ednesday , at p , r o f was I wa by the E a l Bradford , , hear , in every y a o m I d success ; but , speaking nly for yself , shoul have preferred to have seen it given at a lawn meetin g at P Aq u al ate o r Weston ark . Never has there been a

r . -m o e deservedly popular gift m i n There has been an other arriage Shropshire Mr . S w ho — B i s clcl a e tt . n. ppi n g fi 1 5

S w a s we lLkn o wn Y r a s 1 1 1 Si r R obert an , in orkshi e ’ ’ t o m w f M s Watkin s hunt , has taken hi self a i e , i s f n w a d n u “ t O H st . Of th t t righ , f al o By y oi g e hing in r e a n d w o f H d s porting style , ith a dash Old alston ays , the newly -married couple ar ranged t o do D arby and J oan 0 1 1 Adc o te w from the wedding horseback to , here they I w w were to spend the honeymoon . onder hether their horses ’ manes and tails were tied up wi th white ribbons f o r oc n t h t o c the casio , o make the t ing qui e c rre t ? Would n o t pillion have been better ’ F o r the next nine days n o t even the huntsman s horn will tempt many a sportsman o u t Of the arena Of W S politics . hat an excitement reigns in hropshire and C heshire Th e squires are just begin ning to realise that

the cat is amo n g the pigeons .

I TH WE E M 2 8 B D 2 8 TH F F K , NOVE BER TO .

\Vh at can a truthful ch r onicler say o f the week that i t has just passed , except that has rained and blown pitilessly almost every day ? P w as h erhaps it the turmoil and passion , the clas ing o f and dashing , the opposing electorate armies that upset o r r w the barometer , perhaps these sto ms ere sent us by o u r A r o r n merican cousins to cool our ardou , i crease the d f o f i ficulties the situation . An w o u t o f yho , one side have thus far come the fray more jubilant than the other . Is it because they are accustomed to t ake wind and weather as it comes , provided only that hounds run fast and st raight n o t to My readers must expect , therefore , hear of — s port in the hunting fie ld f o r o n e fortnigh t such as this they have plenty o f other excitement t o fill their m inds — sh all d but after this week , how we buckle to , and ri e

politics into oblivion . — On Wednesday Si r Watkin was at B e tti s fie ld not an e n a o u joyable place at any time , but when it le ds y

instanter into the Fens , and those Fens are immoderately s n e s o f oaked , imagi e , dear abs nt ones , the blackne s 1 6 H UN TI G AN D SP R TIN G N TE S N O O .

mi re e u peaty that had to b waded thro gh , especially w n d o v th i s t e v o n he foxes eclined t lea e eir p g y , e en

account Of Wynnstay persuasions . Blacko in th e h afternoon , gave fort a degree of mirth to the w f o x z i z a e d w r th proceedings , from hich a gg gg to a ds e ’ ~I — Fens , and then to scoyd perambulating here for some w r B u b n e time , then to a ds y Farm , and then ringing a gain , the staying division eventually found themselve s t r f d a Blako once more , after various adventu es by loo a n d d r e - o f fiel , and crossings and crossings the canal w w o n e o f t and rail ay , hich made the day the mos f crooked o the season . Although keen men declared it was an hour -and -a - quarter to ground 0 1 1 the railway at A lkington . This aforesaid Wednesday s aw the Shropshire at D S w T h ’ orrington tation , alas still ithout hatc er s horn . Th e proceedings may be summed up very shortly as f ar

P A n . as sport goes . lenty Of foxes in cto Burnell coverts — — f o g to o thick to see which way hounds went no use w — we t w trying to get down into the lo lands , eary and d r I t so . isgusted , he field on left Booke all to himself

w h I o f . is could end the story a poor day here , but , as a ‘ o f h o w we n matter fact , Often find disaster in compa y w t A l adv i h disappointment . whom every lover Of t i n S foxhun ing hropshire admires and honours , braved th e O11 Off o f o n o n e elements the chance a run , but not o f Th e her accustomed horses . brute suddenly bethought him that his coach was at home , and that he wa s on the spree Putting thought into action away he went , and before he could be steadied a biggish ditch H e . interven d ere , swerving first , and then pitching; o n d o n to his hea , his unfortunate rider fell the right o f th e side . H e r riding habit hung o n the pommel saddle , and she was cruelly dragged for some eighty d at yar s , the beast that had caused the mischief kicking n her in the meantime . Could a ything have been more ? I n dreadful ndeed , we have known so ma y similar n o u t w accidents tur fatally , that it is comforting to kno t r hat , with a presence of mind truly wonde ful , the prostrate form put up both her arms to protect her head was and thus saved her life , as her arm severely kicked an d o n ly o n e c o gmark of a shoe was plan ted o n h e r ’ A L ad s Ac ci de n t—H a rdu 'i clzc ra n y G ge . 1 7

We r h . ead all rejoice that she is recove ing , and will not r E be permanently the worse . Mo al very horse to his

t d . W ra e , especially where a lady is concerned hen shall ’ we have a really patent safety ladies pommel ? ’ Friday , after a terrible night s rain , brought a certain o f an d amount sunshine a softer air , but with scarce a Th e S r w H calmer atmosphere . h opshire ere at ardwicke d G n w . i l o t o f ra ge , here Mr B bby has iligently tended a ’ a m n o t m foxes for the se son s amuse ent , and allowed the h t o be slaughtered during t e cub hunting . In the A P L L o d o f . . . absence the Master , Mr y did the double u r T n d ty Of Maste and huntsman , hatcher bei g only ardwi cke G present 0 1 1 wheels . orse did the needful a n d f o x w th t , h , ch i ou any delay t e after mu heading , m ade good its exit across the railway to H ardwicke P w o f ark , then back again ith more chorus men than Of H adn al 0 11 f o r hounds , leaving Village his left , as if the u ld w h G b a s . R b , o v unning parallel it the railway h we er , n re - early to Battlefield , they once more crossed it , and e H au h m o n d A ventually found themselves at g bbey . — N o t a bad point and certain choice spirits were fain to w sing praises Of the gallop , hich the man in a balloon — tells Borderer was somewhat Of a delusion holloa t o — A holloa and very little hunting about it . nyhow , the s R ame tactics were pursued back by the ing Bank , and e rl H adn al w ventually nea y to village , here no further H d i ntelligence could be gleaned . a hounds really run t o - n w day with the grou d in its present state , hat a s catteration of arden t sportsmen there would have been 1 I n the evening from the Forge coppice , close to Moreton ’ C Si r orbet , hounds ran really prettily up to Vincent s B o f w . gorse , here ooker lost trace him S d A I Si r NVatki n On atur ay, at ldersey , understand o f I o u w had a pretty good day , which , trust , y ill hear Th p articulars shortly . at beautiful Cheshire vale must — f o r once in its life have ridden heavily and the A ldersey brook was a foaming chasm, I should say Fo r the last three year s the Severn has n o t rolled

! d n s m ow such a flood a it now does . Let us hope it co es o n purpose to wash down all the mud that the election s o n a un d have heaped its f ir surro ings , and that , as it s t w hi i ts a n w n u lowly re ires it n b ks , into its o ted q iet 1 8 H UN TIN G AN D SP R TIN G N TE S O O .

o m t meandering , it will p a moral to our upheav ing s passions , and aid us to fall back into our wonted path - of usefulness and every day life . Borderer can sti r the

fire , but he likes it extinguished better .

SIXT H AN D SE VE N T H WE E KS ,

N M 3 0 TH D M 1 2 1 711 OVE BER TO ECE BER .

I was faithless las t week owing to unavoidable

E ddo w . circumstances , dear es , and whether your readers will be indulgent enough to forgive the loss o f their i usual weekly dose rema ns to be seen . A naughty b o y is willing to promise anything that may cause him to n I w escape pu ishment , and ill call to my aid the o ld

E ton rule by pleading First fault . D e 1 s t t ec mber the , oddly enough , shone brilliantly on h e

- — two old fashioned hunts o f the county the Wheatland

P S m 1 . U . . and nited ack Mr ummers , with the for e , is h winning his way gallantly . H e found i s pack and Di 1 cu lti s country at sixes and sevens . e had to be encounteredthat had shipwreckedmore than one aspirant b s s o s o c s ut he has thu far h wn him elf equal t emergen ie , I and a decided sportsman . can assure him that there is no re ason wh y he should not bring back the palmy days f ld r I o O . o that recollect , whenMr Baker , befo e he went int

W w W . ar ickshire , made the heatland country famous in the Wes t Midlands . On this memorable Tuesday the F i n tr H A meet w as at a e e all . fox was found in a gorse at N e e n to n , thatifhereallywastheheroofallthatfollowed ,

m . ust have been an extraordinary example of stoutness . H e f n first o all made Chetton his point , and the bearing e away to the south , chose a fine wild line , with very littl plough in it , and plenty of dingles and obstacles in it S until he reached tottesden , and then skirting Kinlet , eventually beat his en emies in the interminable fastnesses of Bewdley Forest . A glance at the map will Show that this run could scarcely have been less than a - m m n a , twelve ile poi t , and at ti es the p ce was good n a n d Un i t d Pa ck The Whe a tla d e s . 1 9

This part of the country carries such a holding sce n t . - - - Two and a half hours was its recognised time . 0 11 d a Th e United the same y met at Newcastle , about T three miles west o f Clun . heir first fox did not stand n up long before them , but their second was a real denize C wmb r th D 1 . o f Clun Fo est Found in y ingle , he at c o mm o n th fi 1 s t made for Mainstone , then g round e b T r G Wh i tc o t high ground y the h ee ates , crossed the ot o o s s w b t m , and kept n hi way teadily east ard till he

n D . c ame to Bicto and the Berry itches , a tremendous o f t o - stronghold , no avail him to day , however , for the o n W deathlike music at his brush drove him to alcot , ’ r Po wi s t o o ot t o s oo s , st d and , h o enter L d w d he ruggle 0 1 r h o s te rl Pu H 1 towa ds that famous y , the rslow undred o n e o f 1 E o s t o s o s h e , u e , and died in he c n ing mead w t er o f u an d a o r An at the end an ho r half thereabouts . y o n e wh o w c o u n ti , like myself, kno s the y , can appreciate h o w w u i t what a fine hill run this was , and onderf lly h o f must have broug t into play the perfection horse ,

f x H o w . n o . hou d , and the green coats and black caps must have whoo hooped over him There is only o n e bright spot in the Shropshire week I n t that would fai recall to memory , for its record mus d r th e not be lost . Mid le is a favourite meet , and F iday , 4th T d w o f , saw hatcher again in the sa dle , ith plenty Th e P eager sportsmen in his wake . ark wood is - r . i generally a pretty su e find but to day it fa led . Mer w n rington , ho ever , at its extreme point on the Leato side , held a fox that luckily was prevented going there . m f f and ade sharp tracks for Middle , af ording plenty o fun for a f e w short minutes ere he got the better of th e A hounds . couple or so of hounds were reported to b e

n w d Pi mh i ll m . ru ning to ar s , and his line beca e the next It w a . n d. attraction proved but a stale one , ho ever , T soon had to be given up . hen came the cream of th e P Gu b b al ds day . reston at once announced itself a holding an d t h e 0 m h i s u u a d covert , fox , cut fro s l roa crossin g w n into the larger part of the ood , had to take the ope

’ A n d wa a r w w . lbrighton y, then pop into the cove t lo er do n Th h i t u a is of experience so sharpened him p, th t , contrary s 1 rai h t to ; the usual tactics of these foxes , he went g w H adn al w w -o n e through to ards , and hile many a kno ing H TI A S P R TI 2 0 UN NG N D O N G N OTE S . was li n e i i n h n d we 1 e a g g on the light , ou s f irly fly1 n g arallel with the London a n d N O 1 th Western R ailway for p ” Hal dwi ck e C o me an d t h e a B r h . Th Go d Bl ck i c es ank , e rs e v i n f o 1 d s h e 1 , h h l d wh h aid t e p g ones a ar igh oa , ic m ate 1 i all y ca h o u an d helped to tch the nds , pu t all ’ i d h u m o u 1 , t fle w 0 1 1 b y nto a , goo as hey Nevitt s n Y O1 t o n S th e i i h pla tation , leaving tation on lig t . an d s oon blou gh t the ho1 semen with extended pipes to b H B ro u gh to n Gorse . ere it is averred that f oxes we re Th e o n e h w w w changed . t at ent a ay ith the pack at his T h f bru sh looked f i e sh . he1 e aving been no time o 1 getting w S G was a d an d th e E second ind , leap orse p sse , llesmere i ro ad n e ai l h wh u h i m y touc ed . en he betho ght of hospitable u n u t o an P tton an d tt th ft , r t u d e , , c i g ro nd e le he bo n ary ’ o f Si r Watkin s an d the S11 1 o psh i 1 e count1 y with e xtrao rdi n ai cl e v e i n e s s th e 1 e a1 d n a ch an ce y , givin g ivisio v e E to cut m an d ha the in side of the ci1 e le . ve ry fence

. h l an d ditch here ai e sn eeze1 s . T e black soil u ckily l ode l an d n d 1 ' we ath e 1 b u t oose , not so holdi g as in rie , still t h w th e u d w f e w an d d 1 ose leally ith ho n s ere , the irt coats n i d a f 0 1 a m . P d a y etton p ove an impossible h ven him to y, s o h e 1 i dd Pa f e w d f u 1 th e 1 t ed for Mi le lk , and a fiel s , at th e H H r h e was a armer ill Quar y , cr cked up in good style , - a fif t fi v e . T a I fter y minutes of brilliant goin g his g llo p, t n a t c S hi k , t kes the firs pla e in the hropshire season so f ar u u , although Borderer hopes it is onl y an a g ry of s l n ti l better thi gs to come . I have picked n p no news of especi al interest abo u t Si r k H i s a a u d b th Wat in . l st B sch rch Mon ay efore e frost put i k was I ts h 0 1 1 , , h t , t ard mar the country ear, pleasan bu o f 1 1 0 d u was d th e extraor inary virt e . One fox kille in r w e A d co t e a N e s s cli ff a . P shrubb ies , and nother y l nty of I d b u t . ashing about , no real straight going Lockey , hope , h as recovered from his n asty blow in the m o n th which k n h n nocked out his teeth , a serious thi g to a u tsman , who s W I w t h a to be continually blowing his horn . hile ri e ’ t h e o t a t th w m fr s is dis ppearing beau ifully , e eek s eets m I ma b e a r l ead te ptingly , and y able to put in postsc ipt

o f yet one other d ay befw e this di ai y closes . — f A m 1 s e d o 1 th c mi n . P . M 1 o o S . y p postscript shall be g n m h 0 1 1 icer huntin g orning t an Opened Monday, ’ 1 h d n e e Th e D 3 t . ecember , never glad ened hu tsman s y

2 2 H UN TIN G AN D SP R TIN G TE O NO S .

w d sho ed himself to be a huntsman , as in obe ience to the ’ m w G1 i aster s ish he let them alone . gg Hill delayed d s o m n houn s , its gorse is thick , and a little ti e was lost i w Sh e lv o ck t t , h s v d get ing a ay o where e wa iewe , an d we pegged o n after him over the brook towards P - , o t o Te ds m o r e H o rado then right handed in fr n f use , in w o t the plantations beyond hich we g up to him . Onc e m w as d ore there a rally , as he ma e a last dash for his d R w life own towards ednal , here he , too , yielded his b r Th h tt . e th d o f o x t rus in a co age ga den ird g of he day , a n d u all ca ght in the open . No . 3 had kept us going

It a . . w s t 1 1 o m just an hour only thirty p . , but all voted it qu a n tu m s ufi ”and turned happily an d contented w d W d — . W . o f home ar s ell one , Mr alford plenty the — animal in your covert s an d to days Victim will soon be r b n e w o f 1 eplaced , let us hope , y some comers , even bette w r ind than thei predecessors .

J I H TH E _ 3 K E G W L D M I4 TH 1 9TH . , ECE BER TO

Th e hope o f bringing the Grand National H unt S teeplechases to S hre w sbury in the spring has been d r d m ashed to the g oun , the co mittee choosing Malton by r f u r a n arrow majority . U nfortunately t wo o three o o

f d d n o t an d n d . rien s coul attend , he ce the a verse vote Y orkshire has already had these steeplechases at W w S etherby , hile hropshire has never been similarly Y wi w h . onoured our readers ll , ho ever , be glad to hear t hat the directors o f the racecourse are by no means d isheartened , and that they intend the cater for a t u l m n A w horo ghly enjoyab e eeti g in pril , hen each and all t h e local hunts will have chances disti n gu ishing t - r mm wi hemselves , and a carefully prepared prog a e ll w w v ery soon be issued , hich ill embrace steeplechasing an d n an d ff flat raci g in equal proportions , an e ort is being d u d w u s o m a e to time it with the L lo Cl b meeting , that a regu lar o ld fashioned Shropshire week will be the order o f h e w an d s t. day hen hunting is over , the country house u W il l be f ll . Th e little f o x terriers at the show last week were a

i i s v e rs u s F o x -hu n n Po l t c ti g . 2 3

P l lo t . . I pretty lenty in number , but sma l , it struck me I o n e w -u s uppose it is the fashion . saw ith a cock p ear and marked f o r a prize surely this was a mistake . Very o f f o x m e f e w looked capable tackling a , uch l ss a badger . Th e two prize hunt dogs from the Wheatland and Ludlow m I n o t o f n interested me ost , but then am a judge fa cy d o 8 . H m unting has been in full swing , and the ele ents have A been fairly propitious . bubble long in blowing has H I burst at last armlessly too , believe , although it was Al popularly supposed to be charged with dynamite . l true friends of sport breathe freer I believe now that this f o ff Th Hodnet fulmen has been allowed to puf . e d I am correspondence has been publishe , and no one , l H - s e ves . o s oo e ur , be ie that Mr eywood L n dale t k th o b n h unds as a political engine , or that y taki g them he h as influenced the politics of North Shropshire . N O fox n I v s o cs , , , . hu ter , whate er hi p liti will am sure deny Mr

L onsdale the free right to his political opinions , so long as t n o t r - I hey do interfe e with fox hunting , and can truly say tha t never have politics been introduced mto the hunting In I t field by Mr . Lonsdale . the present case , hink the m aster does all that a rich man could do to facilitate sport , d H e an n o t give Offence to any . asks for no subscription — — i n North Shropshire h e has purchased kennels h e has done the thing in a princely way— and yet (I say it with shame and grief) he is the subject o f treatment which would severely try the temper o f some hot -headed I S that know . urely , however , there is yet ' e u i ci e n tl y good feeling left among us , impelling us to n throw aside politics , and stand by our Master so lo g as h n e obly and honourably stands by us . A n d n o w to the more genial topic of sport . Tuesday the South Cheshire had per haps the most amu an d e a s w sing ccentric day of their season , ith a good s ce n t they galloped madly between Wrenbury and C m d hol ondeley in the semi arkness of a fog , much e n e d often r hu ting Mr . Corbet than att mpting to ri e after hi s d . h t t h t houn s Muc umbling and fun resul ed , w ich o th e s m more ober fox hunters ust have been a delusion , an d the afternoon in Combermere proved no better than

the morning . 4 H UN TIN G AN D S P R TI G TE 2 O N NO S .

W t th Sh ro sln r e t t u P e i ~ ednesday ook e p o Lo o ark , th r w n o w VVo ll o extreme esterly meet that the p is giv e n u p . Th e f u n w t k d c r l u w ill not a e lon in es ibin , a tho gh ith g g D luck a fi1 s t rate day might h a ve res u lted L 0 t0 1 1 Wi t h y d 1 a d b k Bed hel a b ce of good wil foxes . One i o e 0 11 th e

d k d u d . u pper si e , and too a splen id line p the mea ows w 1 w u d u d 1 w an d to ards Fo d , hen ho n s s d enly th e up , could make nothin g of it . Back to the withy b e d went T a r 0 1 h tcher to get on the line of anothe , perhaps the

t 1 e tu 1 n e d . Awa w same fox hat had y they ent agam , n 1 f 0 1 u h a d cu t 0 really o ly a po tion of them , five co ple r e 1 S 1 u n the fox and driven him over the iv eve n nsee , except f e w an d h a d k 0 1 1 w t 1 1 0 1 by a , they to loo , hile alone in hei g y, these five co u ple fle w away to A n 1 e 1 i ca ! No b l i dge fol

e 1 was n f 0 1 d t i ~ five miles , so th e nothi g it but to sen a p h an d e l s e wh 1 e d1 a T a s t 1 t , e t w a . h w af e em zgD o o gain is

di r i ct 1 f x . v a n d s t o e . i ly one , the neve being particularly y

T h ad 1 N e s s cli w ; hese five couple a clippe to e , and the hip 1 1 n s o 1 t t ht th t th , nea ly spen he nibg e e t yi g o stop em n f o xe s umerous were the in front of them . Thu rsday at Gresford I hear Si r Watkin h a d a go o dl

n l 1 e a1 H . day, fi ishing olt

F l i da 1 8th M1 . H w was H h y, the , ey ood Lonsdale at ig ll A e s d w Th e D u o f E 1 ca . good me t that alway ra s . ke ’ Cleveland s la1 ge f a1 m s h e 1 e E1 0 pl e nt y of 1 0 0 1 1 1 for e very

o h o d h d t . b dy , and when t e gr und is amp ol s a good scen T - th e u d o day O se covert did not hol , but a little wood n ear E rcall Park was more fort un at e . Th e fox at o n ce d w an d R d n u dashed o n to through the river o e , m ch to Th e r d the const ernation of the field . only handy b i ge is w w an d a brute of a thing , narro , eak , positively dangerous . To - n Th e day it caused a block and early collapsed . lucky ones firs t over sat down to rid e through as quick a thing as s a n has been their lot thi year , h vi g to take in their s tride some bi g a n d wide place s th at intervene between h P S w t ere and oynton prings , to get to hich they made a bit of an elbow to ward s the R in g Bank . Straight t t h e S 1 i n s t 1 e m e n d0 u sl hrough p g , the field tailing y, past h awb u l W t Ga S y hi e tes , then to the light , leaving the vi llage on the left as if f 0 1 Moreton C o 1 b e t ; but without r h t 1 o f t t h , eac ing he e , they s on ound hemselves a t e Lea h d —a n S at t e e n of about forty minutes most e joyable pin , — A t rn o o n r m A 5 71 H i n to u An f e f o . 2 5

d T wh t e e , h o t o fi ich vir ually end her as atcher failed t hi him ,

towards Pre ston Springs . Those with second horses went ’ 1 1 W th e f o r d an d M P s aw e w 0 to , organ s ool , and th m dra n — y blank then E ll e r di n e produced a bad fox th at did not ’ d add to the evening s enjoyment . Can nothing be on e 7 to imp rove tha t horrible brid ge 3 1 9 ll n r Sa u da , th t a h t w th t r y e h , t e spor i g o ld of Nor an d S u we t H n w e Shropshire o th Cheshire n to into , h re Pe E th e l s to n e w w an d Mr . ele al ays provides a elcome foxes W u n s e th e e n d . . r o u t e without hitchurch too , t s to fun , an d it wou ld t ake a keener east wind than b lew to -dav to

have kept th e e a ger throng at home . c u d w r w an d d w Of ourse ho n s e e soon at ork , ran o n ’ w u o i sl y n Pe e l e s G to ards Q , the back to the eternal orse , whi ch as u sual kept the field in shivers and impatience for u w e w t u h a d fully an ho r, h n for the t entieth ime the ho nds

- - d a n d at R a tr u h . to be calle off , a stay home eyn rd i mp ed ’ I lon g to know what the secr et of foxes dodges is in this O t E . s s me re d a wh h lit le rebus pro uced brace , one of ic was c an d w n a a caught in overt , the other e t w y to Comber u u a wa s r un 0 1 1 a an d mere as s l , and out the M rbury side A h G - lost . s ors e is g enerally the bo n n o bo u o ho of

- - . It was m d da . the day two thirty p . e re it was r eache to y Not a whimper disturb ed its re cesse s for an other t e n u e an d h n w Th e t h . min t s , t e a ay he goes to e bottom at a an d w d h throng the g te is let loose , those i e rus y u r past res a e once again the s cene of a superb gall op . Ta w —i n o t king the centre of the vale , east ard t is for

C - da n o r —~ loverley that he flies to y, for Combermere fence s an d ucceeds fence , hounds still fly over those lovely three m e r e S n d Th e iles havi gton gre at r e wall confronts you . w d T f o r w ags eclare he is a ory fox , he shies at the all d k S a r to instea of see ing the sanctuary within it . h p the w ~ , o r left , parallel ith it bang comes a brook to be jumped — d a f e w e d 0 r tumble into pref rre the latter process , 1 e r i t B u r D a m rather th ir ho ses refused to do the r bes . ley ’ 0 1 1 is left the left . Kent s R ough is whisked thro u gh A dd a n d an d cleverly , erley is entered , the house park passed thro u gh ere this capital fox man ages to s ave his ’ S Th e brush in one of quire Corbet s hospitable earths . S n i n f u n an d u quire is there himself to joi the , is bro ght t o h a home in the style he loves best , smiling think t t his I A P R TIN G N TE S 2 6 H UNT N G N D S O O .

f o x w hi s t is safe , and probably it ill be turn nex to rattle ’ 1 s u 1 Si r W 1 him back ove this pe b line into atkin s count y . Th e 1 1 1 1 1 wa s h a m o 1 e thirty five minutes , or per aps bit , a n d crowned the d ay with an o th e i f e ath e 1 ln the cap of dus ha —M m a r A sh G 1 Ac te s r . y de r old f iend o se , and its fi

Fran k Cotton .

I TH WE E D E C E MB E R 2 1 ' 2 s r 6 TH . N N K , TO

Th e past week has been a full one . A green Christmas a u s th e has been vouchs fed to , and boys , home for the h d a r t . holidays , have a are ime of it M d 2 1 s t P S n was on ay , the , at rees tatio , one of those b ri ght balmy days that this capricio u s climate of ours sometimes br ings ' us in mid winter ; when a great coat i s m u . an incu brance , and the air breathes light and joyo s ’ A con glomeration of Si r Watkin s an d Ch eshire men came t o swell the happy thr on g that were soon put s f G e harply on the move rom Lacon ors , on the Coton side n a w of the railway . Getti g very well aw y ith their fox u s 1 i h P l Th e th e ho nds raced t a g t past rees vi lage . line

1 ai lwa o u . is a sti one, and the y throws y out of gear F e w e 1 f e cti 0 1 1 , consequently , enjoyed this quick thing to p b w efore the fox was pulled do n , in fifteen minutes , near h e a t vill ge . Twe ml o ws was w an d a f o x the inevitable second dra , v w w a was ie ed a ay over the he th , hounds moving prettily I h tfie l d w h d Th a m to g , here t ey checke , and tcher held the Tw ml ws H m m w b e o . a ack to the ere , fter so e ore dra ing, a fox 0 1 f oxes kept them goi n g in a very 1 o u n d abou t i n f 1 t b we 1 e t h , 0 wo 1 t and out sor of fas ion ou s, ill all tired wh o fi h t— except the foxes , lived to g let us hope a “ fi h t— n e n di u s traighter a oth r day . Opi ions ered abo t — g th e d a h . y some said , pretty good , ot ers the reverse 2 h d T da 2 n d I . a On ues y , the , understood Mr Corbet a A d a A d l w h n . good y from der ey , not it standi g the fog

2 8 H U TI G AN D S P R TI G TE N N O N NO S .

w o u r an d w m ith fox turning t istin g o inously, when a fals e a e e a an d hallo most p rvers ly c me , saved his life , after a ru n u a n d i f fi 1 of an ho r forty m nu te s 1 om the n d . A 1 evening f o x f 1 o m the C O1 fie l d coppice took them across the 1 ai lway Go n s al an d 1 Pa1 k 1 dai kn e s s t th , w th n o Condove , e e i sixtee m m d a u 1 i m 1 i v a e 1 t e e at e . miles ho e to kennels , de a p p Th u 1 s da 2 4 1 u all u 1 e m e n t s f o r u y , the th , b o ght h nting \Valf o 1 d an d Th h i N e w S 1 e a . e S o hi men at , t et L ne ps re d 1 e 11 l a r g e ly at th e f 0 1 me 1 pla ce f1 om a s ection of the W n n a w Si r W k m 0 1 1 y st y people , hile at in hi self , his e e D a m d w t h e S extr m Market r yton side eet , re outh " h e s h i 1 e a n d S ta 0 1 d h i s Th C North men into field . e

h o s hi i e a o o a Th e a f o 1 d i n n i . S i p had but p 1 d y . W l s a e s d M n i n n wa s e . e to u d a k t u h fail g s ppose to be bl n , al ho g l d w u n d a a fox s ippe a ay hee ed . Fitz Coppice c me to the b u t w r 0 11 th e w s d an d rescue , the field e e rong i e headed m i k r . As t was i d a an d him f o his best point he sl ppe b c , a n a f e w e d t h e u an d t e n gave ri g of fi l s out by ch rch , h d A 1 1 went to groun . u npolite fox in the afternoon b u a h n distur ed the Leaton l nch p rty , by c oosi g that inopport u ne moment for poki n g up his n ose i n th e home d Hi s u r h w e xt e n d m u h . e r di d n o t . rive jo ney , o ev , c beyond the home c ir c u it be fore he h ad ma de hims e lf scarce .

S i r Wa u d a St ch e G th e . tkin fo n a l e sh of foxes in y orse , d e c a a n hounds lining to fors ke their close ttentio s to one , w a e d w a wa . H w hile noth r goo looking one ent y o ever , N h a d u k w di d o . 2 to go or die pretty q ic ly , hich he wa d S n e de u to r s havingto , then vainly n avo ring to get home again wa s met by th e rear g u ar d an d driven across d u i w a wa d St ch e the roa , ho nds settl ng do n ran f st to r s y W b u t 0 1 1 r P ood , not entering it kept to Clove ley ool , th h th an d o u t th at e r th b i roug e park by e lodge g es , ov e g w u S d . H w e past res as if for andfor ere , ho ever, seemed a n e a u f e w s to cross nother li e of l ss fl vo r , for , after a field d we w an d in the neighbourhoo of Bletchley , got slo er , u a o u r u e d was soon had to give him p, lthough h nt fox A r a o scarcely o u t of view le aving Cloverley . t ot b ck t W di d d an d t Cloverley ood not pro uce a fox , then hey S w 1 d an d r u f o x went to havington , he e they foun , b o ght a to w St ch e Cl o v e 1 l e b u t af te 1 1 1 o o n a ay to y and y , the got very da1 k we 1 e v e 1 s 0 1 1 wh Si r W n and f oggy , and none y y en atki ld o n B o i n B a ttlefie x g D a y. 2 5.

e d u - i r t m d s te . a n d h ad th e houn s pp abo t three th y p , home w d I u s ce n ti n d ay an d be c ame the or . tho ght it a good g , the m r was u d n fi rst bit in the o nin g pretty , ho n shu ting merrily . D a we all an d Friday being Christmas y, ate toasted u n e ch th h t , t e a th a o er , talked n i g set led th aff irs of e an d n ation for another twelve months , prayed for a fin e

mo n th of January . h u n S t da th 2 6 t , h h a ur y , e bro g t us t e i evitable Boxing ld— a D ay meet at B attl e fie soft balmy day as mild It s a h w n May . is needless to y, t erefore , that thither e t a w S r w goodly proportion of the to nspeople of h e sbu ry . It wa s gladdenin g to see such a gathe ri n g in these supposed w d e degenerate days hen sport is said to be oom d . To ’ Borderer s mind it gave the contradiction flatly to su ch

a r t . G f h a bsu di ies ive the British people a chance o a olid y , and I will u ndertake to s ay that with all t he allurements w w s o f pleasure ithin their grasp , the majority ill choo e ’ e u a ll wb k S k the hunting field , ev n nder the dra ac s of han s ’ o r s h an dri d an - on oc s , o p y , greengr ers cart f ur wheelers , if w e h orses cannot be found , and ill ent r into the sport m r To - o f w co n a o e . day the rank and fashion to n and n was country were well represe ted , and if ever a day o n w f o r ff made purpose , as ell as the foxes , a ording fun s 1 885 wa s da to the holiday makers , Christma the y ; o f 1 884 curiously contrasting with that , when the hounds o n o f th e T never came account frost , hatcher aptly remarking that he had hardly slept f o r the past twelve re -n A months from orse at that disappointment . fox wa s n t goi g direc ly , that tried to cross the line , and was H o f . e course , headed proved , however , a cripple , and wa d f H in five minutes s ma e an end o . e very soon had a s u c c e s s o r wh o h , got such a c orus as certainly never fox

0 11 o f . had before at his brush , in his face , all sides him w an d Neverthless he dashed over the rail ay and road , m r Sun do rn e we ade good his ret eat towards , although

unaccountably failed to hunt him when he took the ope n . B w e h ack to Battlefield , her anot er brace were soon l m o f r re going , and p aying the sa e game c ossing and th e w h d crossing rail ay , being eaded in the road beyon , u an d u d ntil one went away to Battlefield Church , p she m w 0 1 1 hi self past a grated drain , which said grate s ung h n o u t i ges it turned . Clever little fox that , to be able to so H UN TIN G AND SP R TIN G N OT O E S .

: push open the door and let it close after him . N o w it was v P time to lea e the foot people , and try reston Gu bb ald ff o f Co ee housing had been the order the day , but a find i n Preston Gu bb ald somehow o r other generally means It . A business is such a good scenting covert . way h e H w went on the ard icke side , while another broke o n th e I s aw other side ( six foxes during the day) , skirted the ’ B N . lack Birches , and up the high ground at evett s H . h plantation ere , sharply to the left , he brought i s o o o s s t Pi mh i ll e o l ng line f bl wing pur uer o , bar ly t uching b 1 th e Gu bb alds t s o , h to s h i he ide fit e ok u C urch , and ran the o u r d r r a complete ring outside scene of e pa t1 i e . H e H I would have gone to ardwicke , think , but the road o f s c o e , o com wa full arriago e pe pl and he had t e back to wh e re the wood , the chorus became deadlier every

instant until , to save his brush , he pushed himself into a

a rabbit hole , from which he was dragged out and killed . H o w o fte ri I wish I h ad an inventive turn of mind To i s those that have , here a grand chance , not only of a fortune but of the united gratitude of the hunting -lady T o f m i world . hink that alone , and do so eth ng to make ’ the pommels o f a lady s saddle or her riding habit be T separable quantities , when desired hrice this week have accidents happened to ladies from getting hung up t s h . s , in their addles in our un ing circle Fate ha indeed ,

to o t u y been cruel to one , who has of en tempted it s ccess b u t fully , who twice last week had to part company with — i her skirt , as her only safety valve luck ly in her case it —r was s e o her accident would have been terrible . More b terrible than the enacted tableaux ofa shorn lam , which Ko r as s an some kind friends , and a veiled prophet of were In r S said to have witnessed the thi d case , on aturday , . th e catastrophe might have been still more serious , but to for the behaviour of a favourite horse , who refused

r . be frightened , while its ider hung over on the right side , n n firmly da gli g from the pommel , and the habit refused It t o e r . k give way , or unloos its f ightened burden too s everal pairs of stron g ar ms and hands to set matters ’ m A s , o c e s right”and we all j in in ex lai ing ll well that nd

W 1 885 . ell , and thus ending this year , o n B o xi n D a Isco yrl g y. 3 1

TE TH WE E D M 2 8TH A UA N K , ECE BER TO J N RY

w I could not be ubiquitous last eek , and am indebted to ’ a friend f 0 1 the following excellent account of Si 1 Watkin s

Da I 0 1 Sta 0 rds hi re ~ Boxing y meet , at scoyd , and the N th h a s port at We o 1 e on t e following Mond y . d w - was co u i s e a On Satur ay , the t enty sixth , there of d I Pa1 k tl1 c la1 ge gathering of holi ay folk at scoyd , seat P 1 . ds al E M W. 1 . Go . of that chee y old sportsman , very a vailable nag in an d arou nd Whitchurch h ad either been h I f t m ired or borrowed, and heard o one spor s an who W T . act ually had to hire a gee from arporley ell , our w was P first dra the snu g cover at the bottom of the ark , but as many foot -people had assembled round the cover w an d before the hounds were thro n in , a brace of foxes being awoke fi om their slumbers a little earlie1 ' than n e ce s s a1 o h th t m t m u y, t ok t e hint a so e hing ore than us al

was o f 1 wa t o wa1 d s ~ going on , and made the best thei y

s afe1 qu arters Our next draw was the big wood at Kiln . G was s e e n 0 1 1 an d a w reen , and a fox foot ay over the Parkl e W C a y Farm , past hitehall hapel , leaving Oak B nk r d n t h h e a w, t f th o t e left , and over t e belo poin i g as if or e

, t t th ht , f t Fenns bu , turning o e rig he ran as i for he dd W 1 l b mi le of the yches , but again turning to the g t , T b 1 o u h to n H th t th ' leaving y g all to e left , we ran pas e H h 1 t G1 i 11 e a1 t wh 1 e ig er Lands , ove he Kiln een Fa m ( o e we u n Wo lv e s a0 1 e 1 e u fo d) , then on past Mill , and to g n d A A r a in a small dingle at gden . man with a fer et s id w d w he oul try to bolt the fox , but the tables ere turned , d w I the fox ma e the ferret bolt in fact , from hat could ’ s e e b e l a . . t w s D Mr Ferret s shot igging was then tried , b u t an eight -feet stick failing to reach the end of th e e e T was arth , the fox was left in p ace . his a slow hunting run of abou t forty minutes . D uring the run some of the a th e hounds marked a fox to ground in drain , while m body of the pack went on with our hunted fox , so fro A d g en we went to this drain . A terrier at hand soon ' i ran o f bolted numbe one , who right into the jaws A f u 1 h e 1 di ai n di s the hounds . t pe 1 u s al of the t H d covered number wo . e was soon dislodge , and b wa made the est of his y, with one hound in very close

G W r t e c , e oo s a t ndan e into Kiln r en d , ju t two fields away ‘ P 3 2 H UNTING AND S OR TI N G NOTE S .

H w m e ere he d elt for some ti e , and ev ntually broke , but

o nly to run into the near e st farm stackyard . H e was seen b u t u s aw h i m t o go into the stackyard , not a so l ever go

' u W ? W o u t , th t o , h h so e q es ion ar se ere can e be ell , an o ld hand (we heard him described as a vile o ld fox -slayer) wa s seen riding quietly about amon gst stacks an d turnip

hods and at last he detected a hole at. the bot t om; of a - n d oor out of the stack yard into a portion of the buildi gs . “ Th e u a d H e said , fox has gone thro gh th t hole , ju ging f rom the clean appearance of the floor a n d tr u e eno u gh R u d was . 0 1 1 R eynar there stic number one , being asked t o h d t fin d h i m t r u e ti c n u two searc faile o bu mber said , ’ ” f I ll f h i m I he is in here find him , but the fox ound first n m wa u two a n j udgi g fro the y r stic number g ve to gue . ”— n d wa s H avi g is patched this rat of a fox , for he found a d a an d d m we i n r in kille in the far buildings . proceeded to ’ W d t h e W . H wn S cholar s oo , close to yches ounds had dra w w m wa s d h th e cover hen a hi per hear , and in a very s ort h time the whole pack opened . T e cover being small the as n w an d w r u d f o x w soo a ay , so e e the ho n s , and they ran d a u A d k n d w at a goo p ce p to g en , s irti g the ingle , here we

had run to ground in the morning . From A dge n the line r k t a a w was to G indley Broo , hen over the can l and r il ay ’ E th e l s to n s H T R d past Mr . of inton , over the arporley oa , ’ P e s G b u t d t u rmn . u , and p the hill as if for el orse , sud enly g '

we Mr . N u n n e rl e v s a an d d w t o the left , ran across f rm , o n e B arm e re into the vall y , as if pointing for , but poor 1 1 0 R eynard , being hard pressed , turned to the right , doubt d t u to seek the frien ly ear h on the Q oisley Farm , but ’ w w h e a wa s u a lthou gh ithin a stone s thro f iled , and p lled a a o f d own after a c pit l burst thirty minutes , and that over

- a country that foxes seldom take from the Wyches side . W N S aff d 0 1 1 M d 2 8 th . Th e orth t or , at oore , on ay the h ad w c o n night been very indy , although free from rain , “ t th h w t w t i n sequen ly e c”ances ere hat foxes ere s opped in R T n n d o f . e a A w stead out Can idding , Brooks rro s Wood all proved te n antless b u t n o t so a Court of

W H b m . I C hancery ood Mill ayes y na e Well . all can s a C u t C r w y is this , that if the o r of hance y ould only get w k t . as quick through its or as his fox was in quitting their w b e t o t to . Goo proper y , a great relief uld fel many d j o x H e di d v to s a - not wait for any affida it to be filed y

I AN D S P R TI G N TE S 3 4 H UNT NG O N O .

n Th c apital run over the hills at Church Stretto . e n o t Shropshire did venture from their kennels , and small to f o r blame them , in the morning the travelling was dreadful

T h s o s h h , Of ur day , n tiding ad reac ed me but Friday r o f b u st upon us as a day good omen for the new year . J h o t w ogging to covert was ork , and the sight of some D r lambs ( orsets) , then m a field by the oadside ere we r H o f eached igh E rcall , made us think strongly the latter r days of Feb uary , and sigh to think that already the w o f s eason was three parts over , ith none those glorious d ays to gloat over , which mark an epoch in a hunting ’ man s existence . A very large field were attracted by the morning , the n o f place of meeti g , and the idea distinguishing them ’ n s elv e s 0 1 1 New Year s D ay. appy greetings ru g o u t s o t t t t w s o f i h E c ap ly , ha i might ell be aid g r all that it o f o n - was in high feather , and full go this spring like 6 Th e ff to o f A D 1 88 . o o pening . . long cavalcade moved R w G c t h t o f f o xdo m o ton orse , er ainly t e snugges abode in ’ 1 11 Mr . s t h t v Lon dale s coun ry , well c osen apparen ly e ery f o r w n o t n way sho ing sport , as there is a other covert

n a . ear it , and a bold fox cannot take bad line from it An d yet h o w often has it been a base deceiver to the f ond hopes o f many o f us I can count up several days I u o f when have gone down to that brookside f ll hope , To o . nly to leave it in disgust begin with , the gorse is s o n w do thick that foxes decline leavi g it , and hen they o n e they seem to have only idea , and that is to get back o f R w G t here agam . My experience o ton orse foxes is T w t hat they are the worst in E ngland . here ere a brace t here to day which never put even their n oses o u t o f the ‘ ’ f e rre tti n n place , and , after twenty minutes g, ma aged to ’ I e t d m i . g to groun , thus crushing our orn ng s hopes m ay be fastidious about giving a f o x a chance at starting I t o a ndyplacing the field at the covert side , but am free c onfess that were I empowered to arrange the drawing of R G a owton orse , no horsem n should go into that lower Th e o f t s t . t field adjoining he gor e , a all buzz wo 0 1 1 h undred horsemen close to the gorse , and the very an d s ide where the black thorn cover joins the gorse , is t h e natural place o f exit and entrance o f the f o x in his

’ H i h E rca ll a n d We n lo ck o n N e w Ye a r s D a g y . 3 5

nightly rambles , bothers and disconcerts him immensely . E veryone would get quite as fair and quick a start if they m 0 11 o r re ained the hill above , , better still , if they were w o f t aken past the gorse to the rail ay side the covert . Th e Shropshire field are getting notorious for their t o - m s traggling , and day they certainly surpassed the ’ P s elves . Before Forester s lantation was half drawn a m a f o r g reat part o f the were in full s il the Marle . Bad T a s i luck stuck to us throughout . here w a flash n the an W th e f o rd p at the Ouse , and a fox at home in y , which w y R to r went a a well across the oden the Fo ge Coppice , a fter which but an uncertain idea o f his whereabouts could awks to n e be gleaned . Borderer thought he went way , as he was unlikely to face the wind blowing in his face P da o f Acton B e yn ald way . erhaps no y fairer promise ’ gave forth more delusive results than o u r N e w Year s

D a 1 886 . y , S t o o w o f adder , , hen we heard an excellent day on this self -same Friday over those delightful Carden pas — t t c s o f c I to c ures , he parti ular whi h failed ull and the s t o . ame must unfortunately be said , a lesser extent , of t h e Wheatland at Wenlock . My correspondent there m o f ust be presented with a new set very sharp spurs ,

.a s a reminder that his pen is not that o f a ready A I o f writer . quick find , believe , in the lower end the W E E dge ood took them nearly to asthope , then away t d W owar s eston and Brockton , where he turned to the left for Bourton , and eventually beat them close to t n h i ll Th wa S o o . e s p first part very fast , and the whole made up a good hunting run . Overton , however , is not H o w good at accounting f o r his foxes . many an old Wheatl an d man wishes t o see A lec back again Th e Albrighton have been doing more than their share i n o f I the way sport , which grieve to have to pick up s econd hand . All accounts agree i n making Saturday from the P W H firs t - d a — o to , l ugh , es n eath a r ate y while the e r P T lements spoilt thei enkridge uesday , and Newport f o o tpe o pl e mobbed a good looking L o yn to n fox ; still Croppie Boy maintains that the old Albrighton never e o o s t co b w nt better , and B rderer nly wishe tha he uld e a t Coppenhall 0 1 1 Tuesday to judge for himself . 8 6‘ H UN TI G AND SP R TI G N TE S N O N O .

’ Th e R 0 11 Y adnorshire , too , had a good run New ear s D a w Si r ' R . G y from Norton Manor , and its o ner , reen

P t. e , , th o n s ob ric Bar was ere enjoying the fun hi c , - o ld riding after his eighty third year , as the story goes . I v t t o P tt b ha e o urn my back n Baschurch ( e on) , ut a m this shall only be a ple sure deferred , as far as y f o r - w r readers are concerned , an eagle eyed friend ill hove over that wide expanse o f rough pastures and black

ditches , discerning everything to its minutest details .

] E L E N ;l E V T w E ! 1 1 K A U A 4 TE , J N RY TO THE

H o w h c c c s muc we are governed by local ir umstan e , and hence h o w hard it is t o bring oneself to write o f w an d hunting when all around ears a mantle of snow , King Frost reigns supreme Still I am in duty bound We t o ff f . w o N e w Y to try lef ith the first day the ear . Th e next day brought better luck to the Shropshire than 11 they had experienced 0 Friday . Starting close to w o ff o r o ff here they left , ought to have left , had Thatcher followed his f o x to his legitimate point the H previous evening , Besford ill , was the first place of H r attack . ere there was a fox that gave fo th so little o f 11 0 Th e R u scent as to be use in the way of sport . b bishes produced o n e o f a still worse sort that was soon A R e n ald P slain . cton y ark , however , put a brighter f complexion on the prospects o the d ay. ere a good w fox was in waiting , and ent away over the wall and R o n across the road into the ubbishes , through it and o f over the open , almost passing by the tempting haven P E We m S . reston prings ntering it , however , on the side , . he made but a short stay before quitting it at the same m We . point , and taking a capital line towards Just , S ’ H however , before reaching hooter s ill , he shot to the r Y S u left nea ly to orton tation , then more to the left p G l the hill past Clive , and at the back of the rinshil R quarries to the ubbishes , which were destined to shel f ter him no more , and it was an expiring ef ort that took h i m into Acton R e yn ald Park to die close to the happy o f i r It t hun tin g grounds S Vincent Corbet . was a fas

S IR V IN C E N C O R R E T B A R . T , T

3 H N TI D S P R TIN T 8 U N G AN O G N O E S .

fox in Coton Gorse had to pay the penalty of h i s . t a t m cowardice , and , no o her fox being ho e , a trot was ’ m e ml 11 H ad to the Twe o ws . 0 Lord ill s side away we n t a P H o f 1 1 fox over rees eath , in the middle hich he turned 1 i h t W 1 attli n to the g as if for hitchurch , and at such a g ce ch ov s d t pa did the pack evy him er thi open groun , wi h n o s fence to stop them , that , although he tried hard to ’ e Ash i n Si r W 1 c , t co r a h the earths at a kin s unt y , where h e w ould have been safe , he had to succumb within two h undred yard s of them 1 11 nine minutes Th e Twe ml o ws had been too m uch disturbed to aff ord other foxes 0 11 the L o s f o rd return there , so Coppice was the hope o f the

o , o o s t s s ov s aftern on and wh that kn w hi nug c er , and ha e n m u joyed many a good gallop fro it , does not light p w t It i h earnest hope as hounds challenge in it . is to be a dash at the brook at starting this afternoon o r is th th e e w e v s , s s , t line o er fine wild pa ture ith unkemp , H v1 k blackthorn fences , that intervene between it and a 9 Ah . ! H stone , yes this question is soon decided . e t w urns his back on the brook , and sails a ay gaily for the f G o w sure haven o the rotto . N gentlemen sportsmen ! whose hearts amon g you are bent on business ? Now is your time ; not a moment for hesitation , there is a . Sh 1 o sh i 1 e s flaming, screaming scent , and the p bitche are tD n l n d Ah h o n E a . w seco d to none in g for pace , says that ’ Th atcher can t ride to his hounds ? Look now h o w he hesitates not a moment ; and how those t wo bits o f — H — black they are ills hang on his quarters , and know o f n every inch his hairy vale , struggli g with might and m 1 n w h i m an d n ain to be the same field ith the hou ds . Wh H awks to n R i n ' s s y here is the e oad , les timethan it take — - m e to write i t i n eleven minutes and where are the fi S G eld till those bitches fly on to the rotto , to ground — - n W ! twenty o e minutes in all . hat a superb gallop T 1 e 1 I n o t do On M . h uesday , C et , hear , was able to a d m great eal against the negative elements , although fro We n b u ry Mosses his followers h ad a short excursion o r two , as long as scent , which was very fickle , lasted S y everal coverts Marbur way were drawn blank , and a bad fox from the wood by the Mere soon ran into a stable ’ P s s . oo s Go s s c c , yard , and wa killed le r e wa the la t han e an d a fox from there going towards Combermere could —D o i n s o the l r L o sf o rd to the Gro tto g f L n rl o r . 3 9

d u o f har ly be hunted at all , so f ll was the air cold storms . r t n w h i r M . s Ce tainl y , Corbet has been mos u lucky ith weather 0 1 1 Tu esdays . \Ve d1 1 e s d ay in most places was a white w orld that I w f o r precluded a ll idea o f hunting . can ans er its being ’ s W s impos ible in orcestershire , as Borderer s intention were centred 0 1 1 the Croome an d had to bear a dis l o f S appointment . Nevertheless the Va ley the evern , w was w t o f Sh , v , th th es re sbury was fa oured and ere no ing , n L t n H n I o o . understand , to stop hunti g at avi g put my foot into it by giving a wrong description o f events at L o t o n I w r o f s n o w . the la t meet at , ill keep clea details fi a m m n Suf ce it to say th t , if y infor atio is good for n 11 0 o f d P n anythi g , vestige a fox turne up till resto

R was f o x r e . ough reached , and a he e p pped at once to r W o n e o f w h g ound . Bickley ood held a brace , hic w w r f o r H R ent a ay ve y prettily the olyhead oad , over it , 0 1 1 w rd n w w he N o r and to a s O slo , ithout touching it , ever , P R u to reston o gh , he was hunted Ford , where he went d m w n r un o f w -fiv e to groun , aking a slo hu ting t enty n was o n e an d w minutes , albeit the li e he took a good , ith that earth p roperly stopped next time this f o x may afford r us a clipp e .

. Ne ws from the Ludlow side has n o t been abun dan t th i s a o r t wo a w h year , a stray le f has reached me l tely , hic l d h d d ea s to the belief t at sport has men ed consi erably . Th r w as n d a r T u d w e e a good sporti g y f om gfor , hile from Kyre a successful inc u rsion was m ade 1 11 to North H ereford country to Marston Firs and 0 1 1 to ground D w A a o n near ocklo . bout a fortnight g a e w little covert in the vale near Staunton Lacy wa s the scene o f an n C u hn i n to n exciting gallop over a ice line , past g Manor , an d w th e round the Monument back again , do n to Corve D e lb u r n n th e near y, eve tually killi g him opposite abode W u of that good sportsman Mr . ood , at C lmington Manor . “ f f to e wn h am Milson ood has also af orded a 1 run N and ’ Gau dy wo o d ;! and o ld Norton s Camp held a good fox last week that took them to the E dge Wood and H d n I azel i e . hear that some more United blood is being infused into the pack . An d o here m y ch r n icle n ecessarily ends . as the element s have put down their fo ot decidedly against u s for some 4 0 H UN TIN G AN D SP R TIN G N TE O O S .

I H s , e , e c t day f ar and it will b ruel indeed if he unt Ball , a s well as its rival at Berwick , should be disappointed of hunting attractions at Berwick and Atcham as a sort of th e second course in festive week . t e Of hun ing accidents still the crop se ms to thicken . D . f e w Mr rake , in Cheshire , had a severe shaking a days a go a n d the D uchess o f Westminster has been added to t h e list of fashionable ladies wh o have been hung up by t heirsaddles , stirrupsand riding habits having an unhappy ’ k o f to nack refusing part company , when their rider s lives d I t . t e epended upon i am happy o hear that , in th ’ D s li k c s , e a T s u hess s ca e her hor e behaved rojan , and he n o o r r 1 s was t dragged kicked . Borde er almost tempted to r e th e o f produce , with slight variation remarks a certain o ’ G B l ack o n entleman m ladies habits , written twenty If four years ago . the frost continues he will certain ly d o so .

TWE T H WE E J A U A 1 1 TH rrHE 1 GTH LF K , N RY TO .

Th e entries for the Spring Handicaps remind us that o u r n we are past the meridian of hunting season , and soo As n shall be face to face with the March winds . soo as th e weights are o u t we may have a prophetic pe e p at races

s uch as the Grand National Steeplechase . Our S S n hrewsbury pri g Meeting is not yet published , but B h as i n d orderer permission to say that , a dition to races ’ e s under Newmarket rules , there will be an op n hunter s o f 1 0 0 Th e S teeplechase at least £ value . hropshire f i n H o 5 0 . unt Cup sovs , for farmers and tradesmen A t h e S r M1 . . U hropshi e county , given by Lonsdale nited LEl u n t o f S h 70 . Cup sovs , open to residents ln hrops ire , W T o ff h r W . Sta o rds i e , o s , o s w , Cheshire rce tershire r ale ’ ’ r 70 hunte s flat races , an open hunters steeplechase , of ’ sovs . , and another selling hunters steeplechase ; so that ’ there ought to be no lack of sport in the way o f hun ters r 8 9th o f A we aces on the th and pril , and hope to see

o u h B e rwi ck an d B r g to n . 1

o f S H C u plenty competition for the hropshire unt p. E very horse must be owned o n the 1 s t of Feb ruary i n t o 1 s n o t th e country qualify him , so there much time to M o f look out for likely ones . y weekly jottings sport W 1 3 th w begin with ednesday , the , at Ber ick all , when t h r e f ost had most accommodatingly cleared away , and left the fields once agai n safe eno ugh f o r the indulge n ce ” o f the lovers o f Terpsichore to shake o the effects o f ’ W ’ ’ Tuesday night s , and ednesday s early morning s S W ’ I dissipation at quire atson s , where , understand , even a fuller and gayer assembly than ever enjoyed themselves

o n the opening day of the new Parliament . W e ednesday broke a very wild morning , quite nough A o f t o drive foxes underground . tremendous assembly n o ff to asty , fresh kicking horses after the frost , filed P H e co oo , s s , o n te l where , nicely sheltered a it i a f x H e u t had braved the elements above ground . p his A o r nose for lbrighton , rather Battlefield way , and the first three ploughed fields fairly plan ted the majority o f o t n We m n to the field . N crossi g the road , he we t up A H m lbrighton all , and wheeled back again , luckily ore o n f t e the grass now , but at an indif erent pace , to h r o f h i m place of departu e , or hard by it , where all trace s m P H ee ed to vanish . erhaps he went to ground . ere - N 0 ends all chronicle of sport for to day . fox at P ubb lds Pi mh i ll H H P G a . reston , , or armer ill lenty o ab ut , but underground , Borderer imagines . On Th ursday Si r Watkin repeated his good fortune of W i n n o f ednesday , when the afternoo his Overton Bridge d a I y, he had , believe , a very interesting hunting run f G rom Campbell orse , over a lot of country , eventually u i n W W ! “ r nning to ground the yches . ell on this B T H ’ Mr . roughton hursday , although some of oward s cov ts d th e o o was er had been isturbed day bef re , a f x r m G G m seen travelling f o rafton orse , that took the o f d e over a line eep meadows , rott n after the frost , that made j umping in and o u t o f them a matter of immense d i rcu lt T to o y. here was a brook , , by the way , which ’ Ch o lm o n de l e s was too much for Lady y made hunter , l t o m W (9 uckily without hurt its char ing rider . ithout t n ouching Castletown , back they went to Broughto , 4 2 H U TIN G AN D S P R TIN G TE N O NO S .

t v e Largess was he e ening find , and again a deep lin w as th h o n e o h H h h n e c osen t C erry ill and C orlton , t e o n W w wh o to the eternal yches , by hich time those had o f not already had enough tumbling , scrambling , and

c , t , h t ramming pounded af er Lockey until e even ually , d m d d like a goo deter ine huntsman , kille his fox , I l f n A r o . be ieve , in the shades eve ing good ha d day , Th u r s da1 r On night , acco ding to custom , the young H Sh r unt Club of opshire gave its annual ball . Borderer was n o t n a sharer in the entertainme t , and he fears n o w r to n w , like a bu nt child , take even ball e s second A r hand . despe ately long list of grandees filled the ’ o f n columns the next day s paper as present , and judgi g by the number also that turned up at Atcham B ridge 0 11 1 1 1 0 1 11 I do n o t t Friday ing , think our coun y balls have an wa de te 1 i o r te d r ri n in y y a f om their p stine gra deur . H o w o n e n u f o r devoutly wishes to be young agai , j st a 0 1 t wo w season , to see hether the young people do e a s o f ! W r ally enjoy themselves much as yore ell , as I A w have said , to tcham Bridge came a very gay cro d

w . north , south , east , and est were represented Ladies h w d by the score , so muc so that a stranger hispere , D o you always have so many ladies as this o u t ? Si r T B o u h e I t o homas and Lady g y were there , am sorry o n o f A say , wheels , and the master the lbrighton had little opportunity o f looking over my favourite bitches b efore a mo v e was made to a co v ert o u tside Atti n gh am P 0 11 r T n o n W o s . s th s ark the xeter ide hi held o ing , o w R av e n sh aw G we ent to orse , and here again we were d isappointed . Our cavalcade seemed by this time to 1 1 0 we t have end , as filed away back for the park , jus

A d . as it began to rain steadily , the usual tcham ownpour Th P W e ark ood was drawn blank , and much to the disgust of m any members of the hunt away we went at b W 1 the roxeter gate , straight back along the road ove 0 11 C ro n kh i ll the bridge , and on past and Berrington , to E a on Mas co tt o s h t t , when h peful eye ad been urned n o t n 0 1 H . towards Long or , olly Coppice Borderer does o f e pretend to know the rights , or the ins and outs thes r s t ts o t o co matte , but he argumen f hen rthmenseemed gent H 0 11 n .when they exclaimed that Coppice had not bee

A m . drawn since cub hunting . nyhow , a aster has a

‘ Th ch o rd r un o Pi t f . 4 3

right to make his o wn d1 a1 1 an d so 0 11 we n t the 1 1 i th an d s aw f o x m ajority him , soon a found in the di n gle th e re that h ad the ho u nds tied to his brush do wn we u was t C o u n cl , t t h o o Mill and jus as ho og t he g ing 1 i l 1 1 a ri s c h as e o v e r the a y to give a sharp , he disappeared A into a big pipe drain . young sportsman keen , but r not al 1 1 a 1 discretiona y , doubted the fact , whereupon n o t f Thatcher given to betting , of ered to stake his ’ ’ T n n ye ar s 1 1 ag e s 0 11 it . his caused his oppo e t s betting r T book to retu rn to his pocket instante . here was t o r G nothing for it but t ot to olding Coppice , and there

w e had as pretty a find as possible . L uckily the field r n o t o r l we e so much spread about , as unruly as usua , an o t I th o u h l 1 1 e ll awa1 d the fox g , g , right handed at the bottom o f the covert A boggy brook at the end u an d of the second field ca sed fun , some grief , while d w d E Mas c o tt D houn s ran like il fire to aton ingle , and

then turned up t o the left . Whether some extra speedy d o u t - ones manage to gallop both fox and hounds , and ’ d r I w e hea the fo mer , don t kno , but b fore he reached — the head o f it he was made mincemeat o f a second T “ - o f . wo n n o unlucky bit business scrambli g goes , d n m . o n we of ten inutes each Nothing au ted , went

P Th h ad - 1 e . It to itchford H all . day improved was 3 80 m p . . , and Colonel Cotes quietly suggested that his ter rier should be invited t o try a drain within a field o f w I r So . e the hall . in he ent had had sca c ly time to

m n J . h e e ove , e s ad ire a”C ippendale y arling wh By h i at home , and out he pops , as nice and healthy a fox as

eve r was seen . H e scarcely has a hundred yards start a s i n w the hounds race him vie into the big wood . W e n d In ith what a crash they send him to the top . trying to get away he is headed by some men at work in a n d d d w th e the field , back we go over the ingle , and o n Ah 1 1 0 1 1 r other side . , we are eally away at the bottom f o r f o r corner to the right , and pointing the Lawley a f e w N o w w i Si r fields . s ing ng to the left , we skirt ’ Sm 8 m Frederick ythe odel farm , and his clean cut fences s— r r are nice jump ove his private d ive , and still bending ’ S n H we left handed nearly to teve s ill , where cross the R f o r H G Cressage oad , arnage range , and point for the H w H I . o higher ground , Bull ill , think it is called 4 1 H UN TIN G AN D SP R TI T O N G N O E S .

s l tc s h o s c weet y the bi he unt him plenty f mu i , and all d S o f o th . o o e o ing eir best traight n t the top th hill , n t w we far from Kenley , here check in the road , or rather o f It H the junction roads . is a ticklish moment . as ’ b e ? f o r ard o , ov o o run the r ad No er the pl ugh bey nd ,

. and before half the field are aware o f it hounds are E W racing for H ughley , with the dge ood , a long dark

line , in the foreground . Many a longing eye is cast S o f back towards hrewsbury now , as the list defaulters — th e is numerous soil is holding and the fences blin d . “ T k l e Come up you beast . han heaven for that g to t spare . Now they turn s raight up the dale , and our f o x sees that here at all events there is no rest for his t o n ce failing streng h , so more he turns his face for P home , and goes back by the Lodge at Church reen , It and right up wind to Netherwood . almost looks

like a fresh fox , and yet that deadly crash of the not to be denied bitches speaks a different tale—out at the H It m b o o o o s s oo o s , tt m f r Fr de ley ill i t da”rk t ee the Ge t -a but lovely to hear them . on , sir , says farmer , ’ ” Th e b i ll hi m they re close at him . is too much for , he turns by the side of the dark fir plantation with th e m an d wall round it , once ore crosses the road , there is only that big ferny field between him an d Th e Acton Burnell big wood . Can he reach it ? bitches n t are within fifty yards of him , he has to tur , and here R under the low wall by the ookery Farm , they bowl

. h m . k i m . So over , just as the clock is at five p dar

t o . is it that it is hard see who is there , and who not ’ O n e hour and twenty -two minutes by th e master s

watch , and a first rate finish to an unpromising day . B arely a score of the mighty two hundred that co n gr e ga t e d at t h e meet are there to witness the e n d

to their honour , however , be it said , two ladies of o u r n bluest blood , coming from the Ludlow cou try r T a e there to claim the trophy of the brush . hey put

. all our home be lles to shame ; one has to catch a t B ro mfie ld H o w all rain for . we wish her brother r n It was as fond of hunting. as is this you g lady . is a lon g time since Pitchford has shown a better o m n l run than this , and it was really good f r in Colo e

! n as Cotes putti g us on the track of this good fox ,

”

The Ge n tle man i n B lack. 4 5

I he did . hope he is none the worse for getting r H planted at that deep uncovered d ain , ughley way I hear the Wheatland gave up at 2 -80 p m to day l— -early f o r a young master and that the North

Staff ord di d n o t essay to hunt at all .

U THIR T] L E TE WE E J AN U AR Y 1 8 TH 2 3 1 m N K , TO THE .

Th e majority of people think that frozen -out fox d l T hunters are discontente morta s . his is true of a f e w a wh o a only of them , especi lly those h ve a dozen or s o h r th t th t d o ses in eir s ables eating eir oa s in i leness , and w u do t th d t u 0 1 1 hose reso rces no lie in e irec ion of b siness , other sports wh ose ar r ears of work that have been put da u d by for a rainy y are happily not to he fo n , and to n n u i d T whom e an frost are synonymous . hese Bordere r n d th e n r a n b d t a h t . pi ies , for e c n o prescri e a reme y ‘ I r d w r o u t p omise , hen the f ost ca”me , to cut a leaf of l d “ G a the o entleman in Bl ck, for the benefit of my

1 1 r eader s especi ally the ladies . e wrote just a quarter of

r a o wa s a ci le 3 7 7572, ce s o wn a centu y g , and f 2 p in his special W r u ar t n u o rn line . ith a pa tic l s rai of bl e bl od his veins he moved 1 1 1 the high e st spher e of his day in Leicester r an d f o r i u arrt an shi e , p q , pointed writing on y subject d h i o n t t h h a d a s w , d t ha e m e he equalle if no excelled ,

Whyte Me lville . I d o k h not ma e myself responsible , ladies , for i s ’ ” H H 0 1 1 . opinions Ladies abits ere they are . I n o w I w fear , that have ritten it , that the title looks a a . To w w w little larming attack hat omen , and hat habits r Th e is the natu al question that suggests itself , as

a i n r . B e r d gentleman in Bl ck puts lance est assu e , ye more lovely daughter s of lo vely mother s it is your r h . 0 1 m a I m r iding abits only y not speak ore co rectly , an d d e r e n r call them habits of ri ing , transf ring my c s u es f t t t . rom your cos umes o your cus oms Feeling, as every m an l f ar b e of gal antry must , an interest in your welfare w h o w w a u yond expression kno ing , too , that elf re m st be a o u r bound up in the creation of cert in feelings in sex ,

f I . orgive me , if venture , at this stupid season of the year , 4 6 H U TIN G AND SP R TIN G N TE N O O S .

e h w ch at c o c wh n t ose ret ed deb es have scar ely c mmen ed , w n u i n h w th hen everythi g cheerf l is Leicesters ire , hen e n tt i n w t t u I spri g is se ing i h more severi y than sual , if o ccupy a little of my o wn time and your attention by i e nter ng upon an important but delicate question . H o w f ar 1 s w u fi h e r t oman f l lling missio—n by adop ing some of th e attributes of the other sex more especially in the D o l a matter of sport not , fair dies , imagine me ignorant a a d of the fact th t there is much to be s i on both sides . I h ave not now to learn that wh erever you are concerned there is certain to be something to s ay ; and usually it is

w . w very ell said But listen to me first , and dispute ith w d ; an d I a m a t t a t me after ar s if un ble o re r c , your Opinion s sh all be tre ated at least with all the respect they

( deserve . T r here is so much that is cha ming , so much that is o f elegant . nay , so much that has anappearance tenderness and delicacy 1 n the connection o f a pret ty woman and r I o f her ho se , that am almost afraid beingmistaken when I combat the abuse o f a companionship calculated to 1 11 i o f exhibit both a charming po nt view . But , surely , no o n e means to a s sert that Lady Nancy Bell by th e side o f R R o w - Lord Lovel , in otten , reining in her milk white steed to a pace which accommodates itself to the intellect o r o f h e r conversation lover , is the same person we saw coming neck and c r op at a hand gallop ov er the rails at t h e o f L o s o b o r w bottom y, s imming about in the brook was below Cank , when she only preserved from extremities

by the assiduities o f a ploughman and his team . Look a t h e r n o w o f , every band that beautiful hair in place ; her soft white hand bared to caress her favourite S elim li s s o rn her faultless form lithe and , retaining its upright

carriage , only to move with her horse , as his lengthened stride proclaims his po wer and temper the folds o f her graceful habit undisturbed by a passing wind ; and her u n ru re d r o u brow , uncont olled by a single frown , and y r o f w have a p eture omanly delicacy and ease , not more t han equalled by the r epose o f as she smiles her

lan gui d smile from the soft cushions of her barouche . o r Look at her again her rigid figure thrown back , leaning constrainedly forward ; her hair looking as if it n m belo ged to no particular parish , but had a clai upon

4 8 H U TI G AND SP R TIN G N T N N O O E S .

of those habiliments by the ladies saves an immensity o f trouble to the male sex , true delicacy is quite i n o f compatible with the exhibitions them . I cannot but hope that these lines may occasionally meet the eye of the wivesand daughters o f thosegentlemen , w m st t h t t s t o f ho we boa o be our c ief suppor , he por smen I E ngland . apologise most sincerely if I hurt the feelings

o f such persons . My criticism is not directed against To th . t em a lady equipped and moun ed , in whom the mi s e e n s cen e t th o f h s o f presen s e perfection or e , hand , o f I c an and appearance , only say , as my favourite poet ,

Pi c to ri b u s atqu e po e ti s Q ui dl i b e t au d e n di se mpe r fu i t ee q u a po te stas

I n o t t v s ss o o se ch do love his uni er al pa i n f r the cha , whi H has extended itself amongst all classes of women . alf o w tt o r th o t o s h f them kno li le no ing ab u real h r emans ip , d e they are eficient in judgment and power , and hav nothing to offer in exchange but a courage the offspring I o f excit ement and ignorance . know few thin gs so d - t t s , t painful to my na ure a to see a ba ly moun ed bi ted , -fie ld I l or habited lady in the hunting . t is di o u lt to know whether most to pity the man to whom she i s If - . m attached , or herself she be good looking , so uch w — h e the orse one regrets the more the incongruity . S

cannot escape observation except by doing what , f e w w t t , o , t tt th unfor una ely s ill do ro ing about e lanes , and returning home as soon as the business o f the day If begins . ladies who were meant for pony chairs or - l four wheelers wil insist upon riding , let it be as modestly as possible . But this will not do ; as we remarked To m t before , has his two or hree hunters , and dear Bella —B lla ho r ri da B e lla T her palfrey e . hen Bella must go to ’ see the hounds just to look at them ; and Tom s friend ’ will look after Tom s sister as there is no groom ; or he has to clean the plate or wait at table in a scratch m T establish ent . hen Bella gets enamoured of the riding , ventures into the fields , has a little jump , then another D b - n and seeing Lady ina , who has a out six thousa d - a c o s , s , oo , c e , year , and a perfe t h r e addle gr m and hat h t e r n e ce s s ar a u rte n an ce f o r de stro i n ro e rt with e v y y pp y gp p y, k m B ella naturally thin s how easy it is to do the s a e . L acl D i a n d B e lla S mi th . 4 9 y ,

n c m - Sh e invest s in a sla g peaja ket , and ham er headed - - t h oo c e o . Sh e hun ing w ip , and a hard l king himn y p t

imagines that a bridle is a bridle , a saddle a saddle , and a horse a horse that a gen tleman riding well a -head o f - o f yo u is just the same as a well dressed groom in - - n e c v c e , o o att ndan e , and that a de il may ar fling all ne

‘ - n side at a greasy looki g hole , where the odds are two , n to o n e o a fall, is the same thing as the finished Di performance o f Lady Di . Lady is the single c t o e S t - o s e ho ex ep i n , B lla mith he hundred headed m n t r w startles o u r propriety in half -a - dozen shapes every time Th we put 0 11 o u r b o ots and breeches . e Bella Smiths have become so numerous o f late that it behoves honest m If ff m e n to tell t he the truth . they can a ord a good h ack ar d e u 1 t looking , have cien taste to dress them selves well ; i f they have brothers wh o can put on a bridle u wh o w and saddle as it o ght to be , ill curb the taste for h o colours and ribands and buckles , and w can induce t o r their sisters sit st aight upon their horses , there can be n o possible harm in their exhibiting themselves from 1 s . m t f . o e n d twelve to two p , between the May and the R o w T o f July in R otten . hey will have plenty of f m o r . admirers and a legitimate basis ad iration Or , if r they p efer it , there can be no harm , under the same n irreproachable circumstances , in ridi g to cover every o 1 s t o f ov o o f M c day fr m the N ember t the middle ar h , providing only that plenty o f sea-room be give n to those whose business it is to look after the hounds and not

after the women. But there is o n e conclusive argume n t l which should exclude the sex , as a ru e , from the dangers

o f c s . sco o f o e we the ha e On the re humanity al n , deprecate any display o f equestrian power beyond that To o f the simplest kind . see a woman crossing a country with that resolution for which some o f them are famous gives me a c o ld shudder compared to which total i Wi s s e n di n e i s mmersion in a warm bath . I know the insecurity o f the whole thing from b e ginning to end ; the ’ t o f uncer ainty everything sublunary , excepting a woman s w s , c s o s c t c s o f eat hi h i s dangerously e ure hat , in a e a fall , s h e Th . e can scarcely get away at all best of horses , o f to D t the best men , occasionally come grief . oes tha pretty woman bear a charmed life only because she does 5 0 H UN TIN G AND SP R TIN G TE O N O S .

n o t : know where to have a fence , and because she allows her horse to go with reckless indi fference at all alike ? Is she never to fall , only because , if she does not make a . m istake , she has no power to recover herself ? H o w

ff . latelywe have seen the reverse , and not with an indi eren t

horsewoman , but with one of the best in Leicestershire . There is a trusting confidence about a woman in most w 1 s o n e o f n things , hich her greatest charms , but whe extended to an unwarrantable length with h o rs e fle sh it ‘ r becomes a dangerous att ibute . Perhaps she makes an un flattering comparison between us and her four -footed

vo t ; sh . e m e s s fa uri e e may be right But l t ugge t that , l l if her confidence in man has been misp aced , it shou d m a ke her something wary o f such unlimited trust i n

Th e h . an ything . pitc er goes often to the well but comes

An d . back broken at last . what a terrible smash it is when it does come If you handsome women only knew the numbe r of hearts that are beating for you every time you indulge 1 11 what you call pleasure bear compassion w r n e for our feelings ould curb you aspirations , and confi

. If you like unruly graduates , to gates ladies will hunt , Ie t them have a pack of hounds and a country o f their

A li o n n e ) o wn . is a terrible animal ; the first step to h If adopting her nature is the pursuit of t e fox . Miss n Kegelspiel chooses to ride like a ce taur , and talk like a ’ D o n c , , s o o . o o abman let her it n thing to any ne y u , y u g o f ff m 1 s ladies , pity the sorrows a su ering sports an , who D r o I. wellnigh driven f om the field by your temerity . P I speak strongly o n the subject ? ardon me . have a family o f daughters who would all like just to see the ’ ”

I B ai l s Ma azi n e . hounds meet . only hope they take in y g

F m G . orgive me , ladies , if y entleman in Black has hit too hard ! We know that i n Shropshire th e L ady D n o m S an d ia as far utnu ber the Bella miths , that the quarter o f a century since he wrote has done much to . tame the savage minds of the male sex in the hunting a m n field ; and that , while d itting the soft impeachme t t o t that may come home us now and again , hat ladies o ccasionally are a dread and a terror to us i n the hunting o n we n o t field , how often , the other hand , are constrained dm w th e to a ire and welcome them , even hen not riding in an m t n m n i n l es , and how uch they e d to hu a ise us this ,

H UN TIN G AN D S POR TIN N TE 62 G O S .

’ W To m d o ld s o f ell , , aske an portsman his son the ‘ ’ ’ o h wh t di d o u d o r T ? t er day , a y f om inker s ill Si r w — th , t t t te Quick ing , for en y minu es pace qui — o f w . s t c , Si r awful lot fello s came o grief Fen es , like — ’ I ’ green baize doors couldn t see through them . shan t d ’ s how again till the leaves are own . Ye s To m f o r , , the hedges are very green the time o f year an d so I suppose were more than half your field r f a s t o thei notions o riding t o hounds . But what o f the pack did they look well ? ’ ’ i r S . S . Charming , leek as moles H o w did they work their fox Si r r Never saw a hound , , afte they left the gorse wh o wa except one confounded old brute , got in my y at a ’ llfin h I r b u c and believe my ho se broke his back . P ?’ oor old Chaunter , perhaps k Si r Not unli ely , for he opened his pipes pretty loud ’ when I went over him . Ah ’ ’ w T . h that s a bad day s ork for you , my boy e s w w quire ill never forgive you , if he kno s you killed old ’ Chaunter . H e wa Si r— s m I got in the y , ju t in y line , and could ’ H i h fl r t n o t pull up . g ye would have i . T To m u urn aside , never ride in pon the hounds w w I d o . keep al ays ide of the pack , as used to But ’ n I w o w. there , it can t be helped must alk another couple f I b o puppies for him . suppose you made your o w to the M aster Ye s Si r I An d t , confound him he made his o me in I ’ a way did not quite like . ‘’ H o w so P Wh I was th e y, hallooing fox , thinking to do him a w t o an d service thereby, hen he rode up me , , lifting his — T n o u Si r f o r d I hat said ha k y , , your kin intentions , but ’ u pay three men for doing that which yo are attempting . ’ A To m polite reproof , , for meddling in his servants I d w w business . are say you ere hallooing the rong fox , an d w w u doing mischief , for hich some Masters o ld have W ou f . o u thanked y in dif erent language ell , did y see Alice A shton ? ’ Ye s -a- z , at a distance , surrounded by half do en ’ Crimean heroes . n Yo un g E n gla d . 5 3

‘ ’ Ah sl re s r To m n . a cha ming girl , , remindi g me of your w was u h e r i t e poor mother hen she abo t age , mak s my ’ Wh r o u 1 11 w . heart glo to look at her y , a en t y half love with her already ’ a e a s N . o s o t o , governor Fell w d n f ll over head and r w w a- a in love ith a handsome oman now d ys , as they did ’ f — 1 1 1 rr i n . It d o a in your tim e on t pay , that sort a thing y g

1 1 1 g a 1 e tt . Si r p , irl for her beauty only Money , money is an d i f Al o f u l I all we think of ice had lots the needf , might pe rhap s t ake the trouble o f making advances i n ’ B u t f o r l d r . that i ection as ove in a cottage , it s exploded , T n n e s m n cs c i t i n au ra u ff o f m w . o c s Si r th t , , like a p y eed s we w r t au ht E n Si r—o u t o f a e e g at ton clean go e sight , ’ u t o f d a and o te . ‘ Ah u s m ttered the govenor , thing have come to a l o e are pretty p a s s in th e o d country . N wonder th y w m Th e shippi n g c argoes o f young o en t o the colonie s . chief object o f the re s e n t 0 e rrerat ion is to kill time and p g a E r u annihilate sp ce . ve y man is in a violent hurry abo t o wn u w H n i s his b siness , be that hat it may . alf Londo — under - tunn elled to save a f e w 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 e n t s pe rh aps half a n at o u t( s — u a l n a 1 t h e hour the ide to meet this nivers ma i , f r t ffi T e ra speed o therail oad 1 s n o su cient . el g ms are barely s u i ci e n t a d a th e to p nder to this morbi ppetite , and in s t o w i s s name of common sen e , hat purpose all thi inordinate ha s te ? As if time did n o t flit sufficiently fast

. Th e m an o f already trade tells us , time is mon e y ; that s s n is , he con ider every mi ute lost in travelling or receiving t h e e a rlie s t information 0 11 his particular matters is ’ " s o h o f to R r 0 c c muc loss money him . eute s is besieged to learn the earli est information o f wha t they are doi ng t o r o f - in foreign parts , se ve the purpose money making specul ation in the rise an d fall o f the funds an d this s r i n r ati e n t o f o r re v ade s restles spi it , p check delay , p the ‘ ’ P n r . a o e hunting field also ace , p ce , pace , is the unive sal

n s r f o x u T cry amo g t mode n h nters . hey say

Ou r ath e rs t a k o f h u n trn cr l e t t h e m f l , , l Ve o n wan u i ck u rs ts an d t h e m ly t q b , ge t

We d o u r w 0 1 1 have save blank this eek , but only Thursday was the weather pas sably good enough to enjoy

sport . 0 11 \Ve dn e s da y the Shropshire ess ayed to hunt at 5 4 H UN TIN G AND SP R TIN G N T O O E S .

L th wo o d B B o me re w y . elow the hill at sno and frost

had disappeared , but on the higher ground snow lay s u i e i e n t s , , s a to make riding unplea ant and a a clim x , a c n h old dre ching rain came down unmercifully . Suc good judges as foxes invariably are 1 11 th e ir choice of dry n d o n a s t o s , s c s s o hel ered h me a day u h a thi , were , f c o s oss to , so o o s s e ur e , imp ible get at and n ne wa astoni h d r w T u o so , tch e s o indeed rry hen ha er threw p th p nge , at d n two m . o e . p , without fin ing T W hursday mended matters considerably , and hit c hurch R acecourse was the re n de z o u s of the most select w field of the season , o ing to the greater amount of s now t o n W E hat lay the rexham , llesmere , and Oswestry side n S P r o f the cou ty . andford ool cove t and wi th yb e d we t d e d f o x r were too to hol their accustom , so a t ot had t o e o f be made to Clov rley , which seemed full foxes . A peregrination o f a not very interestin g char acter took Sh place from the big wood to avington , and after toiling i n f o r w i r its miry clay a short time , back ent the fox to S r C ov , s . c t o t l erley and wa lost en did n t appea brillian , an d the going was so heavy that many had the shine taken o u t o f them before Lockey went in search o f fresh T G . foxes in Cloverley orse here they were in plenty . On e making a b e lt f o r Igh tfie ld sorely tried the humour O o f wh o w the field , anted to pursue him , while the hounds d c t th t o t o t c on e lined o leave ano er that o k he opp si e dire ti , n t T a d soo t S v o . me n landed hem again in ha ing n his ti ,

o ev , h t t t , o h w er wit be ter in en for he went straight n , an d A out as if for dderley , but more to the left to Burley ’ D am s R and Kent ough , and then with a vastly improved s o f cent , he essayed to give his pursuers a taste his w quality , and test their po ers of going at high pressure t As h G hrough deep pasture , by steering straight for orse . W r 0 11 o , o v t , st to s ith ut h we e , en ering it he ruggled hi m ho e at Cloverley , and died there , after giving them a o f w r fine ring something over an hour , hich , conside ing h o f t e awful state the country , was more than most of th e horses could do with comfort to themselves . On Friday Borde r er h ad made up his mind to carry o u t a lon g -cherished scheme of a day with the Wheat Th e wa s W d land . meet at eston , right down the ale , and th e n ine mile jog from Bridgnorth would have been

5 6‘ H UN TI G AN D S P R TIN G TE N O NO S .

o f n . musical , and they showed a dash determinatio this

a It . morning that few foxes could h ve withstood . was S c o t t o o . o de ided t ry he l wer gr und now here w uld ,

. o t W perhaps , he lighter By the time we g to idows d i t n o t field , own came thicker than ever , and had it o ch w W o ov t o f st h s been f r a at ith adl w er a bi eeplec a ing ,

o v h s o , sho v e and l oking o er i training gr u”nd we uld ha e be n - . o n m well nigh frozen Come , said y companion , “ to they have drawn this wood blank , and are going ” ‘ h ll Spo o n i . Where could be a better guide P S o o n we S o o n h i ll . I went to p No hounds here at all events . m e t o f o u r n another small field , whose informatio led me w rd to suppose that they were gone to a s Monkhopton , but h w as o f here t ere no sign them , and so Borderer , with to o n his head the manger , battled through the snow as d T w fast as he coul to Bridgnorth . hree hours after ards , u arm wh en curled p comfortably in an chair , having

o , regained his normal temperature , c mes a knock at the “

We . door . all thought you were lost in the snow H ad o f d a capital run an hour , and stoppe the hounds at H ughley ; go t 0 11 a disturbed fox at Wi d o wsfie ld ; di d n o t go S o o n h i ll 0 1 1 t E W into p by Bu ron , to the dge ood like mad ; awful riding ; huntsman got a b ad fall ; come dine It with me . sounded like a dream , almost impossible that houn ds could have slipped away fro m Wi do wsfie ld

without Wadlow o r myself seeing or hearing them “

n o ld . W i t o f n Napping agai , B ell , is a sign the creepi g i n firmi ti e s we al l I that are heirs to , that should have been left behi n d fr om probably the easiest covert i n th e m I dale fro which to see or hear . made no excuse but

wen t to dine in sullen silence . Under the mahogany ,

. I t o r however , all came right again regret hea that

Mr . Summers contemplates severing his connection with

o f . the Wheatland country at the end this season , as I everything , was disposed to think , pointed to his long ’ n c P co nection with the ountry . erhaps Borderer s advice unasked would be superfluous therefore he refrains from

“ “ are . giving it . Only hoping that things not what they ' — n S ka ti n g a t Ote le y L opp z gto n . 5 7

TE E TH E E FE B R U AR Y l s r TH I W G . F F N K , TO THE

When the history o f the se ason o f 1 885 -86 comes to be w o f d written it ill be a tale many bitter isappointments , r 1 85 4 more perhaps than any o f its p edecessors since . Not a week has passed since the opening o f the year without some postponed meets o r dangerous attempts to combat the diffi culties o f the weather by hunting i n some Th form . is has entailed much grief its latest victim is E li S n t w poor ki ner , than whom a more excellen hip w a h i s never follo ed a pack , and it was a cruel f te that horse should roll over 0 11 him in the snow 0 11 the side ’ long gro u nd about Wi rs al l 0 11 Si r Watki n s Hinton B f x Wednesday . y the bye the Cloverley o that gave l was I S them such an excel ent run , find , killed at having to n n o t I , Cloverley as stated , so that he more than completed his big ring before succumbing t o the o f I exigences the occasion . am told that the hounds fairly o u t -ran the horsemen over the flying country ’ w R As h — a bet een Kent s ough , . and Cloverley thing w - to -b e d n rarely seen here , here such a never e ied field had no excuse to offer f o r not being at least within a fi o f eld those flying sterns . S u Si r W n i c u lti e s On at rday , atki hunted under di at Ote l e n s o o f wh o y, the going bei g bad that a friend mine , d d travelled there by rail , eemed iscretion the better part d w u s o I of valour , and returne itho t his fun , have not b a h o f r d am been a le to catch nyt ing thei oings , and e d s a H ad oblig to y the s ame o f the alston Monday . w I thi n k I s th t h , h ere been any good spor , o ever ould r o f have hea d it . It i s a subject o f universal regret in North Shropsh ire a n d f R w o . that Lady Fr ces Lloy , the ife Colonel Lloyd , o f A s d n s o w ton , shoul have bee suddenly taken a ay , r leaving a la ge family o f ten children to mourn her loss . In v w o f S r a m e ery alk life , no old h opshire f mily is ore re spected than the Lloyds o f Aston and no n e are more d n evoted to the hunti g field . Th e S 0 11 0 11 th e hropshire met at Loppington Monday , o o f b undary their country between We m an d E llesmere . T w d fin d his is al ays looke upon as an uncertain , and the second d r aw at Broughton Gorse is often the 6 8 H UN TIN G AND SP R TIN G N TE O O S .

s peculative rendezvous of a portion of the field hailin g - S . To th hrewsbury way day , is clever division were d A oomed to disappointment . fox was at home at Th L e ppington that proved a good one . e country that

he chose was negotiable , but bristling with obstacles , ’ ato ards P Si r W k n w etton in at in s country , then circli g to :S G We m o n lape orse , and , continuing the wheel , leaving T h i s n . right , they checked ear H orton his nice gallop

. appeared to have come to an end when up jumped th e ' h t h ad hunted fox , t a been taking a brief rest , and away t an d n hey went again to Loppington , over a similar li e to t w hat of starting , finishing up near Loppington ith a. t T pre ty kill . hus a very enjoyable run of about two h ours was chronicled with jumping enough f o r the In m veriest glutton . the afternoon , contrary to custo , an d G much to the annoyance of many , Broughton orse

was not the afternoon draw , and a long trot was taken Se n lto n w W to , here a fox took them to eston eath to

ground . W On ednesday , attractions were divided between w Si r W k 0 1 1 H inton , close to Whitchurch , ith at in , Con T o H l w th e Sh . o w th s d ver a l , ith ropshire sho e varietie n w H o f our fickle climate , s o storms at inton almost n w S was preve ted hunting , hile south of the evern all ’

re le w s e t . It u s e n g , if e aside a drizzling rain carried w S w was back to days of yore , hen mith O en the back o f S th e bone hunting in hropshire, to see hounds once

a gain gathered in front of this fine old place , and , more

a . t han all , to see such a goodly comp ny in attendance “ This is the first meet for the last three o r fou r years that

. n o w w has taken place at Condover Foxes , ho ever , are

1 m n e w M1 . once ore preserved , and the occupier, Close, u is to be congratu late d 0 1 1 his sportsmanlike cond ct . d 0 11 W e B o m e re hav ing been isturbed edn sday , and th e lying in the p ark being cut down a good deal by th e H w u Oan tl o was h . eather , no fox turned p till p reac ed ere t c fin d a w here was a qui k , and as quick a sc mper a ay P towards itchford to the Oak , but , without crossing the - o d h t h t t , o main r a , e turned lef anded o Bour on as if f r h w t B o me re ; not liking the water , o ever, he urned up by G P t h e side of the brook , past the reen , into Condover ark , ~ u n .where he managed to el de the hounds , probably goi g to

H U T AN D . SP R TI T 6 0 N IN G O NG NO E S .

Y a w speak 0 1 1 a f u ture occasi on . our sp ce ill not permit me to enter as f u lly a s I wo u ld wish in to the glories an d o f u d w successes that tight little hunt , the L lo , for the - I d r u arr an d m last twenty fiv e year s . coul eco nt m y any a d ru n w I a ar a d w an d splen id in hich h ve p ticip te ith them , it i s a pl e as u re seldom witnessed so strongly elsewher e to ese ’ the master s t r iumphs so genu inely entered into by one h and all w o are there . T o u u a r1 r a here y never hear of q r els , cove ts closed ag inst l W th t s . h th r e mas ers jea ou ies , or bickerings e e people are less h ar dto plea se there than elsewhere B o r d e r e r kn o ws b u t ar e d an d o n e o n e m o rrre n t not , they please , no for ’ doubts th at the best energies of a master s life are ther e c tr d o rr h w t fr e n d h n tr y t en e s o ing0 spor om one of is cou o t It w b e w a ur the o her . ill only hen the sep ration co es in its Cru el re ality that the Lu dlow men will realise their loss . H o w u l t h e w h i s a VVarb u rt o n tr y lines ritten of f ther , by , come b ack t o us as we pictu re the son ‘ l l h n s ce n t 0 11 t re a o w i s ai i n e f ll f l , gD ’ Sh o u ld a c h e c k fro m o e r ri di n g e n s u e H e ar Ch ar i e th e mi sch i e e wai i n l f b l g , Wi th s o r ro w so t o u chi n an d tru e g .

Wh o o -h o o p Th e re s an e n d o f th e s cu rry

N o w Ch arl e y wi th mi ght an d wi th m ai n .

1 ‘ i rst d an ce s t h e n sh o u s Wo rr ? wo rr F , t y y s s Th e n h o u t an d th e n dan ce s agai n .

Wh i l e I v e h e alth to go h u n ti n g wi th Ch arl e v e n v n o m o n ar ch h i s c ro w n I y .

J ~ 1 _ 1 1 TH IXTE L EN T WE E U A 8 1 1 1 8 S K , FEBR RY TO THE

Th e f u ll programme of Shrewsb u ry Spr in g R aces and n o w an d I w r du e Steeplechases is out , hope ill eceive a w 8 an d 9 th A r attention , so th t hen the th of p il come

w d a . round , sport ill be in the ascen nt

I h ad in tended some copiou s notes 0 1 1 the Grand . b u t u w d a d d s o National , my h nting jottings this eek em n e m uch attention th at I must forego the subject until n earer R e co lle cti o n s o Me rr i n t n f g o . 61

r h I the day of the race , merely rema king t at like th e looks d A z ul i rre R n I Ge ro rra Sa of R e path , , i glet , vanhoe , , vo ard y , an d Sinbad . In u r e e a s e an h nting , as in other things , histo y r p ts it lf . d a a w d an d it is refreshing to t ke peep back ar s , see what h ad S 1 5 0 Nimrod to tell us of hropshire doings in 8 , and w c fin d the scene of sport , as ell as the hief actors therein , e r e u have changed so little . are a co ple of days in a week then to compare with those of last week 0 11 the following d a th e fixture was at A cton Burnell y , w - w Si r at h , E w S th the se of t e ell kno n sportsman d ard my e , h where foxes , good cheer , ale , and ospitality invariably

u . A s u u abo nd a matter of co rse , they soon fo nd in the k th w t d t w par , but e fox ent o groun in a rabbit spou , here F he was left to his meditations. ound again at Frodesley ’ H t u w t n ri rru te s at ill , had a pret y b rst of t en y dur ion , and A T t t . h e again o ground at c on Burnell grand event , T 1 1 0 W d . however , is to be recorde hey met at the fifth 0 1 1 h milestone the Baschurch R oad . T e hounds were w scarcely in the covert , at Merrington , hich belongs to Sl arre S w u r Mr . , o h f h t y one f t e members or re sb y , a mos u w was zealo s sportsman , hen the fox viewed away by d w A P . d earce , the hea hip fter taking a ring roun the d d S b c covert he pointe his hea for Leaton helf , est pa e . ’ Without a moment s hesitation he ran thro u gh the covert P o b ald s as straight as possible to reston G , and away to Pi mhi ll H H P , armer ill , and Middle ark , nearly to

B a u . S a th e a d sch rch till be ring to left , he reg ine the i n w h e a s covert hich w found at Merrington . Throu gh it t t Sh ; h h S again o Lea on elf e then crossed t e river evern , W P n which , although bank full , Mr . ebster , of ree , plunged

w . T , v h fi h h into lea ing the ole eld be ind him is was , w u a o , fi , o h h ever an npro table daring f r , ving tried a refuge r e - th e S e in Bickley Coppice , the fox crossed ev rn near d d w f d 1 N b t r M M1 . Ve s e ontfor Bri ge , hich af orde another opportunity for exercising his amphibious qualities . h n ri l e s s cli ff e From t is poi t to Forton , a d near y to N w a here he turned to the right by Fitz , ith the p ck close at h i s G w e brush ; through the gardens at rafton , h n he once m r th e S an d t o e tried earths at Leaton helf , after a errific ou h h was t run of nearly f r ours , e run into near Lea on

A . o o e c . E s , t Kn ll , the resid n e of J Lloyd , q a small p r ion H U TI AND SPOR TI 6 2 N N G N G N OTE S .

th e n w 1 only of field bei g up to itness the termination .

t f e w e . an but of the selec w re Mr Baker , the present , d. f o . W . E t , h h , e Mr y on t e late master t ese hounds Mr ebst r ,

A h . . . Mr and Mr arnage lthough not up at the finis , .

A w w b u t e . Lloyd , of ston , ent remarkably ell all the hors s were completely beaten , and had it not been for some

w a s . friendly road hich occasionally intervened , it ppear h ” impossible that any could have gone alf way. On Tu esday the South Cheshire h ad a good meet but Borderer was boun d for South Shropshire to have a peep o l d th e L w n i at very friends in udlo country . O bury a t St ation lay h ndy and empting , with an excellent moun t o awaiting him . H w could he resist ? A n un i nviting — - t morning cold , misty , and cheerless and yet here are elements in the huntin g field which defy such drawbacks - . Th e e as these , and we soon forget them hills to day wer w w u i a mi xture of fog and sno , ith an nexhausted frost n n w the ground , that made a move i to a lo er atmosphere C o o k e ri d e S . m imperative g is a plendid covert , but it seldo - o e , c t brings luck , and t day there was little h pe be ause i

w . Th e m had been disturbed only last eek decoy , too , seldo n f h h s wa s th . A ails , but ere again t e ame excuse for comi g fox had been on the move in the covert overhanging th e river in anticipation of a visit from the hounds , so that , l f u n . beyond hunting his stale line , no resu ted here . There was nothin g for i t but a peregrination to Ferney ‘ D wh th t o t th u i v i ce b in gles , ere e Mas er so n pu us on e g y w H a view halloa on the Marlo top ground . ounds di d d not come very quickly, but hunte prettily to the Kennel

D wh th , t n ingle , ere e fox made a very queer double and he went back to Ferney ; and we buried ourselves in a dismal fog as he a gain crossed the high ground into the Limekiln S an d Mo cktre e H . h d Wood ayes now laydeep at the e ges , a s d and j u mping w deci edly dan gerous . A fresh fox was d wa viewe a y here , and we crossed the main road in good 1 1 ar ro v e C o h al l an d w D style for g to p , so on slo ly to own W w e d an d ton alks , her a do ging fox a touchy scent It was n ot combined to bringing our hunting to an end . w b e a day to see the Ludlo at their best , but nobody could So displeased with the way the hounds did their work . much music and close hu nting in the bitch pack I never ’

h . Wi ck ste d s a a n . w. T e d s a dogs are f vourites , always

. H U TI G AN D SP R TI G TE 6 4 N N O N NO S .

’ Go , wh h w was lding s Coppice ic produced a brace last eek , H w an d tried . ere they ere again , the right one being the k e w chosen one of the pac this time , they rattl d a ay merrily d n a o h r , t h d wn t e b ook si e no crossing u til appro c ing Cound , I an d g E a 0 1 1 by the ron Bridge , leavin aton M scot his left , ran parallel with t h e railway up to the level crossing H u e u opposite Cross o s s . ere an nfortunate check ensued , d m w and Thatcher hel the over the line , hereas the fox had T d . 0 1 1 decline crossing hanks to a holding scent , they u a went again ntil , ne ring Berrington , the fox crossed the when Th atcher had made u p his mind that B o m e re line , A u h t a an d was his point . holloa bro g him b ck . hounds r wh again hunted p ettily to Chilton , ere , in the bank at ’ u i n H a u the back of the ho se , poor rry B rton s favo urite f a e arth he made himsel s fe , after giving them a very nice , an d a u u a hunting run over a good r ther un s l line . Great were the stories of grief an d deeds of daring that had d a r taken place du rin g the ay da ing M. D . j u mping the a w E a wire fence that r u ns p rallel ith ton Mascot drive . d a a y an d can re Others charge iron r ils unintention ll , safely Y me n an d o u t of the encounter . oung horses were hung an d a d up in hairy fences , c ught in the itches beyond ; in w r da fact dirty coats ere the orde of the y, all , however , ,

harmless an d happy i n their resu lts . Amid the varyin g attractions of the week a peep into

R adnorshire could not be resisted . A telegram o rr Thurs day reported frost really goi n g an d h u ntin g certain ly A n e m ra an d possible . arly start , thirty iles by t in, a four h e —a mile drive before breakfast , s arpens the appetit o I P couple of miles j g , and am at illeth , in the pretty d a V h e e c t . Lugg alley , w ere very fiel r alls a ple san memory w t s w Such a bright beautiful morning, too , i h the no on th h h d d u t h e ig groun , ad ing vigo r o t e landscape and ’ making a sportsman s heart leap at th e idea of comin g u add w e vents . Those ho nds , too , seem to their elcome to r H ad o n e n o w almost a strange to them . they quite In u n c I forg otten me a moment of pardonable con eit , h ad k u w w t ho u ght they not , as they loo ed p ith agging n n b ri rn f u l u t th u t c , t s erns , and eir co n e a es of sense cl s erin g d n w round an old frien . Compariso s are not al ays favour a ble but here I looked ov e r once more th e s e fine backs , ’ li n rb s an d s co u rrte n an ce s . an d l o i n s iron , ensible , forwhich , s d d The We ls h blo o d a n d i t e e s . C5

u I was the Welsh cross in ho nds is famous , and proud o f r u h aving be en so lon g a share r in their fo t nes . Their

d fi n d . ur d an like a re har to O fiel is select , but one d all a t a an d with their he rts in the spor , more pinks th n blacks , the Colone l looki n g as f resh and young as he di d t e n r W r a o . N an t ro e s u yea s g yg ood is our fi st vent re , and We t r u w the home of a b race . y concl sions ith the wrong f o r ar r r th at i s t e t t , h are t one , no ke n a s and as t e o de s no h i m u th e w n o to let go u p co ntry into sno if possible , and w a e two o r r h e oth er ay is ple sing to him , aft r three tu ns Ga B d Go r falls a victim . nders ri ge se lies in high a u d we u re l tit es , but thither go full of expectation , and s — ri rrrf u l a d n e nou g h it is b of foxes , at least half ozen goi g a away in differ ent di rections . We man ge to get a bout 0 1 1 b w e leven couple the ack of one . and he goes a ay in w ra e th e an d w Tre b u r v alr vie a c cker ov r top, do n into l rr N o w Dingle to wards the B a cwrn . turning to the ri ht gD Gwe rn aff e l c t h all o i n t o over biDg en losures i is ard g p g mb l o we n w d an d we e r C w , here houn s check , hear anoth Th e pack 0 11 the oppo s ite hill towards Pilleth . Colonel a we w Pi ll e tlr puts on the ste m , and are soon ith them by an d a n i w Mo n au h t Church lo g the s de of the hill to ards g y, n w we there droppi g do n , cross the road and over the Di s cl ai n i n t h e r W s Lu gg . shelter of the Fo est ood , thi gtD 0 1 1 b U tt o v r t H good fox goes y pper Li on and e Lit on ill , beating us in good style in the bright sunshine of mid H e n wm G d n o day . c orse fails to hol one , but Norton is sooner re ached than away we are again with e v idently

o r u 0 1 1 . u w w three fo r foot L ckily , ho ever, by the time e ’ c h Pr t ht R o H Gr ross t e es eign and Knig on ad at ares een , we a w u s an d P have the p ck ith push on to Black atch , where it is evident that we have a brace of foxes before u s — r u n u i n o w the lines c r ously parallel in the same field , n a an d we S l Vall o w crossing e ch other , as reach the tone u wh hill converging quick vol nteer ips put all to rights , and we s ail away a s h ard as hoofs ca n carry u s to Willey W Y d the o f H P ood . on er goes a fox over top ill ike n o t h u th e our nted one , for there is a full chorus back in c — a f o r h i m u th e overt no pe ce here , he tries a t rn in i e d an d open , but is obl g to retrace his steps , at last sli ps n m W n w e away by Stocki g Far and ood , to the Colo y, her H TIN G AN D P R TI E 6 6 UN S O NG NOT S .

u n we have some slow h nting into the Farm Wood . I the m eantime a couple -and - a -half of hounds have brought an d I a nother fox by another route to meet us , think our ’ h d we n unted fox s life is spare , as join forces after the e w c . It w r we omer is serious ork for the ho ses , as on go back throu gh the Willey Coverts and down towards P r s r B o u lli b ro o k e esteign , ki ting the cemetery . right into s tab l e ar d an d h h th , t t grounds , t roug e y on o Nor on Mill , t h d d hen rig t han ed over the roa into the park at Norton , where he keeps the lower gro u nd u ntil at the A ckh i ll end u W li h e turns p to the Long ood , and it is a race for fe by t h e H n e w d Old Manor ouse , and , over on the roa above the

M u . oors , to ground in a rabbit hole , j st in front of them I t - w e is half past five , and have been running hard since - Th d two . e half past hounds eserve him , and by six ’ — o clock they have him thus winding u p t h e most sporting as i t w and enjoyable day possible , should be , ith legitimate T o as m bl o o d . T s ay that Borderer w char ed with the way i n h ounds d d their work is not doin g justice to his feeli gs . H e - m , once more for the one hundredth ti e , reiterates his O pinion that there is nothing in the ho u nd creation to b eat a judicious cross of the high -bred E n gli s h foxhound — with the tr u e and equally pu re -bred Welsh ho u n d well ike n n e ll e d an d well disciplined they lick creation in the F ’ f x m . . s o do Wh M . s hape of y more , do not try to cross is more than I can understand seeing h o w man y packs “ n wa s u w a n d o days er from lack of nose , as ell as tongue T u drive . here are f e w packs that have been bro ght to s uch a state of perfection in this respect , thanks to the untiring devotio n of Colonel Price for the last fifteen

R W H . years , than have the adnorshire and est ereford Nearer home th e sun shone with almost summer brightness on the Shropshir e at the fifth milestone o n the B aschurch R oad . Business did not begin very quickly , ’ O i ce in expectancy of the Master s coming . Fitz C pp held a fox , which the field appeared to think had gone away o n the Walford side long before he had any thoughts of

doing so , and several fences were unnecessarily jumped . All he really did was to d o dge back to the church , and o n A S g to ground ear the river . brace in the helf yielded h n T H n P ardly a y fun . here was a fox in e cote ool that

r w k rs e a a i H a d i c e Go g n . 6 7

was to o f some thought lame , but he proved nimble o r e o th t oo c o c t o - th h unds wi he p r s ent f rth oming day , and made a safe retreat towards Berwick and o n to Leaton

. In Lodge , his whereabouts being traceable no further the evening a good thing came o ff for the few left to P H e njoy it . Merrington to Middle ark Church , armer H Pi mh i ll G ill and , then by Merrington reen to the place r1 r1 B o me re of depa tu e , and on eath to Leaton at

n ightfall . was n Saturday productive of better thi gs , a truer aw . B i bb r hunting morning never d ned , and Mr Frank y e ver keen to sho w wh at H ardwicke can produce 1 1 1 theway H o f . i s foxes gorse has never failed this season , and now i t held a regula1 1 straight backed one that waved his brush an d was 0 k t w H boldly to his foes , li e a shot o ards armer H l di r il , then ben n to right did not touch B oughton Gorse g: ’ - o r S an d . Th e i hingler s , kept a capital line rac ng pace had told its inevitable tale o n t h e long line of horsemen that A s pread over the landscape . check here brought people t o e th e r an d w n g , at a slo er pace they hunted o past Burlton

to P . A M , h ill and nearly etton , w ere he was given up good S ’ G straight seven mile point . Back to hingler s orse , hard two by , when up jumped number , also a straight chap , for he took them over the London and North Wester n R ailway u G at a great pace , and never halted ntil he reached rinshill w m hen a plethora of foxes confused matters for a ti e , until Thatcher succeeded in accounting for one 0 1 1 other of its

denizens . Whether Broughton Gorse gave an evening - B e g allop or not a one horse man could not say . this as it was n k , h , o o e may owever the day a go d n , and will ra

a . mong the best of the season , both for pace and country Is it not time that a meeting was called to decide on what shall be done about the South Country next season T here seems little or no desire for separation now, but

w . .p ublic Opinion is al ays worth gauging 6 H UN TI G AN D SP R TI G N TE 8 N O N O S .

J L EL N T W] L B K FE B R A SE VE N TE U R Y 1 5 TH 2 0 TH . , TO THE .

An w . unbroken eek , such as the last , is an event in a o u r b o A b winter such as this in neigh urhood . l eit Si r W w R a f o r o , h ft t h n atkin en he le uabon by r in Baschurc ,

m m m . Monday orning , ust have had grave isgivings about o f e the state the ground , as it had froz n desperately on

S y n , unda ight , a large field turned up , and it was ’ n impossible to disappoi t them , so , after an hour s grace , . to w - and thanks the ind turning south easterly , a move d Stan wardi n e It was ma e to Gorse . s dark recesses had not been entered by a sin gle ho u n d ere an early caller r d o f f om a distance had hear the rattle hoofs , and the

o f n u an d was . clamour to gues p the approaching field , he ff h o t 0 11 f ar d w h f o r P o in haste the si e it his nose etton . ’ L o ck e s wa s o n e w as y chance a good , and so the good ’ f o r wa s 11 0 n t o a doctor s , while the former ga pi g cl p them 0 11 w as n 0 11 t to his line , the latter putti g the s eam , just remind the traveller that there w a s a better line open to h i m P S than etton hrubberies , and he took the hint t S w w fl b Stan w rdi n . a e gallan ly traight as a cro ould y, y H a o f r ll he went , and the state the ground had soo to be

forgotten if yo u wanted to be near the head of affairs . - 0 11 w w l w as i n to day . to Ken ick , here peop e averred he d w d A w the same fiel ith the houn s . nyho he had plenty l was n o of spurt eft in him , for there symptom of a turn . r T H n “ f o n On ove etch ill , leavi g the Lea oods his right , almost to Frankton , until he found an open earth E A i n 1 H w e . at ard ick , near llesm re straight six miles -fiv e t d thirty minutes , the coun ry goo , and everyone had W m d to do his best . hat ore could have been esired I will refr ain from m ultiplying o r enlarging upon the — grief su i c e it to say that the kick was taken out of the e f e w - r hors s , and one horse men ca ed to endorse a second

o n P o , attack etton after a long j g back there , especially as hounds again went away hotly from the Marton Plantations and taking an exact ly opposite line to that o f w m n the morning , ent by Marton , j ust issi g the boggy V R lf o rd m G . W. . V a ground , crossed the to , and arked

as . their fox to ground between their and Leaton , as far

n . I c an make o u t . Grumblers have nothing to say agai st

such a day as this .

70 H UN TI G AN D SP R TI G TE N O N NO S .

’ n ice run he afforded . Going by Onsl o w H ouse ( all

W 1 thanks to Col . infield for our find) , he crossed the m C al c o t P o n ain road to , and leaving reston Montford o l h e ad R his right crossed the y oad for Bickley . S n o t winging , however , to the right , he did touch the I th wood , skirted the road down to the sle , recrossed e H R olyhead oad near Oxton , and took them a nice line of w h i s grass ith pretty jumpable fences , leaving Bicton on

s . left , until he eventually landed his pursuers in a hopeles c H w S an heck close to an ood tation , after giving them

e o f . xceedingly pretty hunting run an hour , over as nice a n Th e li e as there is in the county . man in the balloon says that had Thatcher crowded o n sail a little more to ' m f o x have helped his hounds at the critical mo ent , the u n o t h H e h wo ld ave beaten them . does not ride in t e South Country with as much n erve and determination as: n Th e he does ear home . run was not without a serious

co n tre te m s w , p , hich mercifully ended only in an awful l A l co t . t C a ooking fall , a frightful mantrap in the shape of a strand o f wire had been run through a very tempting

w an n . looking fence , ithout y otification of its presence G r o r r S c : . u t . e e e d whatever Mr eo ge Butler Lloyd , p o f i s S Co n , ch m ecretary the outh u try , and banker arged it w full s ing , and his horse was caught like a rabbit , rolling , h i m H o w m over twice . he escaped seemed a arvel to

those who stood shuddering o n the other side . ‘ T A G h ad On hursday , the lbrighton , at nosall , — n Th e R n . u wonted disappointment a late start . anto C overts blank ; a Blakemere Pool f o x was no soon er "

G , n n . e fou d than he was u derground 0 y rove , in the f n m m n o . eve ing , y infor a t knows not " W Gr n o t S h s , o es On Friday , at hawbury ite ate f x did

W _ turn up till they got to Lea ood , where one was found , In and quickly went to ground . a pit hole close to the n n ke nels , however , a better specimen made his appeara ce and like a shot out of a gun the hounds chevied h i m to P s o S s o u t o n We m s o re t n pring , and again the ide t

P H T . Th e almers ill , and rench Farm , at a capital pace m k old grey was once ore conspicuous in front , and a blac H f o x coat playing a very good second fiddle . ere the t n n G ur ed up to the left , skirti g Clive and rinshill , only n am getti g back to Lea Wood to be caught , after r s a — Th rn thr i c cr d C e s ge e S e v e e o sse . 71 e x ce e di n l re tt t os oo c g yp y ring hat th e in a g d pla e enjoyed , w and those behind ished themselves anywhere else . A h w wa good sportsman , ailing from the county to n y , tried o f the depth a nasty ditch , and it looked as if the grey o u t f t h I m a mare came o e encounter badly . trust she y soon be all right again . S a Si r l Vatki n S On aturd y , spent his New treet Lane w St ch e S morning bet een y , havington , and Cloverley , o f killing a brace bad foxes , and having very little real In w A s h . m fun the evening , ho ever , from a fox took the ’ a re tt t o u D am o H O e to wn s Go s p y gallop B rley andL rd p r e , d n H d a line that nee s o paint from me . a it come earlier w in the day it ould have been more universally enjoyed . Cressage Park with the Shropshire was a red letter f o r an t o f w I day , accoun hich am indebted to a friend wh o knows the country and has faithfully described it : S 2 0 th S s On aturday , the , the hrop hire met at Cressage , was i and a move made for Bann ster , which proved blank . P was w Cressage ark then dra n , and as foxes have been

f o r . seen there several weeks past we expected a run , but failed to find . We then drew through Lords Coppic e t o G h was and went away Kenley orse , whic said to hold n i n a brace the cover is very thick , but after a lo g time cover a fox was found and made for the Acton B u rnell d corner of the wood , where he was hea ed back and killed in cover . We then drew a nice piece of gorse 1 r a at the Cressage end of Kenley Coppice , whe e w o t fox as found . e g a good start and went f o r the high ground between Acton Burnell and th e G H w r G H l range ill he e he turned , choosing the range il an d two r an a route , after going miles , he to ground in ’ 0 11 f Mu n s l o W o n w s . e drain the lat Mr . farm then trotted 0 1 1 t o the H ayes Coppice bet ween H arnage G a n d s W we th e range Cre sage , here hoped to find P Th e w . Cressage ark foxes , but they ere not at home was S H w o n e was next order tevens ill , here a stout H e d H 1 h e . b ut 0 1 found pointe for arnage , leaving cover m u w H G an e ade for the four t rnings belo arnage r ge , wher ’ h i Pro e c e s he again moved s point straight across Mr . ’ m H d w s n . far , the over Mr eap s groun , past the Leaso e , ’ 1 Pi n kn s f arn r w 0 1 . e then over the rail ay to Mr y , and h r S o f 0 11 th e throug the iver evern , leaving most the field H U TI G A TE S 72 N N N D S P OR TIN G NO . b o n e ank , mile above Cressage Bridge ; the hounds then w E s ent straight up the yton meadow for half a mile , w d hen they turned and again crosse the river , three h o ld n w undred yards above the ferry , better k o n as the Punch Bowl In n ; the ho u nds came straight up to the w - S w rail ay , when the half past three train from hre sbury f o n was passing , but three o r four o the field g between We the hounds and the train , and saved the pack . then o ff n hit his li e , up the Severn meadows to Cound B w rickyard , here a check delayed us , but a friendly holloa at Venus Bank enabled o u r amateur huntsman t Th e a n d whips to g e o n this good f o x again . hunt s n w w 0 11 w erva ts ere left sorro ing the river brink , and ere probably n o t aware that the hounds had re - crossed the Th e f o x wa s n river . o w seen in the cover at the back H o f Venus Bank . e wished t o m ake E aton Mascot his \V n o w e 0 11 . e point , but was head d back by a man foot e t o w xpected kill him in cover , but ere mistaken , for he ’ c s th th G wh w as ro sed e Blacksmi s arden , ere he seen by d d o f the field a hun red yar s in front the pack , and then Th e c rossed the road and into the Long D ole Cover . fi n wa w eld went u der the rail y at the Brickyard , and a ay we t r f o r o t t t wen mer ily Br mp on , and even ually los all t race o f the fox 0 1 1 the ploughed ground Opposite Mr . ’ B t W Th e a her s house , at roxeter . hounds cast forward

u p the river s ide past th e mouth o f the ri v er Tern . On r o f w o are eaching the bend the river , here the salm n l au de d r by the net fishe s , the hounds crossed the river f o r n o f o n the third time , leavi g a small field fifteen t h d e n o t o ff . e bank . On lan ing th y could hit a line Fortunately 1 Thatcher appeared 0 11 the opposite bank to o f d d j ust in time take charge the houn s , and woul no

doubt read 1 11 their countenances a full report of the run . h f - T e hounds lost the o x at about a quarter past four , T was a n d were running about o n e hour and a half . here o f plenty of fencing most the way , and some very big All d j umpingin th o Severn meadows belo w Cound . the fiel w w w o u t w except about t enty , ere thro n at the river belo H 1 1 rro d w . a the Punch Bo l . Mr ulton p ma e an excellent s a w t o n e St t t o u t ost o f hunt m n , and i h from aple on cu m th e A work . little black mare from arnage , a daring D H m d th e E M . and a steeplechase o e from beyon dge

C A PT A I N A ME S . i The Wo rce s te rs hi re a t H i n dl p . 73

we Woo t s s o w to o t . d , at ime h wed ell the fr n are glad to repo r t that the South Shropshire gentlem e n kept in S the saddle better than they did last week . urely after t w all the spor in the south this year , and hile the season w w m e e trn rr is yet in its prime , it ould be ise to call a to

consider the future o f th is country . Borderer is not n o r a inspired , a prophet , but he believes it only needs o f s uniform promise support to Mr . Lon dale , and a o f w o f wi n r m truthful exposition ant funds , to f o him the o f o promise putting , for next season , both the n rth and s 0 1 1 t o n d outh countries an equal footing , and ha somely If w s o I waive a subscription . this ere , believe there would be more heart thrown into hun ting south o f the we an d river than have seen for many a day , that at least three new gor s e coverts would be planted and tended H o f u with increasing care . unting men the so th , do C a r e ( Zl i e m n o t t . let the grass gr”ow under your fee p , and keep your hunting .

U L E 2 T E IG Tl N TH WE E K B UA 2 2 1 m O T 7 H . , FE R RY T HE

If ever h unting men have been tried in the matter o f A D 1 886 o u t weather , this nno omini , , will stand pre n r n n tl e i e y in this respect . I can recall n o parallel since 1 85 4 di d d o f , when the frost not isappear before the end E t st . o w , s he fir week in March xtra rdinary , ho ever ha n w bee the scent , notwithstanding the bitter east ind , e 0 11 specially the grass . Borderer always gives the foxes credit f o r favouring us a little through this amiabl e mo o f te o f t nth February in the mat r scen , and he

believes as a physiological fact this is true . o f Be this as it may , some very bright gems in way w o r sport have come to hand within the last eek two . Conspicuous amongst t hem being a great Worcestershire ’ d a o n r Hi n dli s w y Lo d p birthday , who is so well kno n Si r H A o f as enry llsopp , that some my readers will It hardly recognise him under his new title . has been an ’ a nnual custom to meet at Hindlip o n Si r H enry s

birthday , and drink a bumper to foxhunting . On this 74 H U TIN G AN D P R TI TE N S O NG NO S .

occasion an unusual crowd of sportsmen came from f ar two w r1 and wide at least hundred sat do n to b eakfast , . an d Th ru nearly four hundred mustered in the field . e n from Goose ill was so remarkable that it deserves to b e W chronicled in the annals o f orcestershire hunting . I n have been fortunate in obtaini g a thoroughly reliable , wa o f o . and in every y c rrect account it from end to end , ’ f o r which I plead n o excuse in giving in the author s . l w It i s own ords . no exaggeration to say that not a tithe o f s aw e n d o r w the starters the , that the Cro le Brook never had so many winter bathers in its muddy waters n w within livi g memory . Nor has the old Cro le steeple chase course been the scene of such genuine fun for many H o w h a long year . proud Mr Ames must feel over t is ever m H i n dli d a 1 9 th e emorable p y Friday , February th , W H A orcestershire ou nds met at i n dli p . vast crowd

a H Th e i n ! ssembled to greet Lord indlip . small coverts th e n a m park contai ed no fox , so move was ade to Oakley W i wa s 1 1 a zl e wo o d ood , wh ch also blank , and was equally u n hi ll n l ai rn d . Go o s e c o fortunate ext attention , and t w 1 5 th hough the hounds were t ice in it on the , two f oxes were 0 11 foot as soon as the hounds entered this ’ fin f w r B r ro ft o f e o M . e a c wood , hich may be as proud as

his beautifu l o ld hall o f the seventeenth century . Both o n Th e d foxes broke the anbury side . houn s ran to

the Church laurels , then round the north side of the park ,

crossing at the end of the deer park , and disturbing . r D n an other fox i n the belt anbury is full o f foxes . ) ento w 0 11 w m ent ith the fox he had been running all the ti e , but several couplesof hounds followed the lately -disturbed Th - f o x . e n d hu te fox ran over unting trap Farm , leaving , G b o n T oose ill close his left , straight to the renches , h h e t u o t roug it , and ran the b au if l grass meadows n the f w w T e other side o Cro le Brook to belo Crowle hrift , wher T o he crossed but did not go to the hrift , preferring to g o w s h Wo o o n e d wn ind , thu leaving C urchill od cl se th w S t e 0 11 n left , he ent to petchley sta ion , th n straight dow

f o r m u . the flat Botany Bay , when a fresh fox ju ped p,

some distance behind the pack , who were too intent upon the fox before them to notice all the shouting from the Th e t railway and elsewhere aft er the fresh fox . hun ed

d 11 S . fox hel 0 as if for the turnpike road for toulton , but

H I A . 76 U T G N D SP R TI G TE N N O N NO S .

G t W orse about two fields to the lef , over the boggy illy

1 oo to . H t c M r Meadows Bar Mere ere we came o a che k , the fox having evidently run up the road some distance towards Cholmondeley for o n Lockey casting in that d o ff irection he hit the line , and a moment afterwards o u r wa s w o n d fox vie ed ; therefore , getting goo terms

with him again , the hounds pressed him on through o u t Norbury Common , and on the far side as if pointing f o r Wrenbury Mosses ; but after going a f e w fi e lds he to wa turned the left , and running a ring , pushed his y H o n into Cholmondeley , close to the ome Farm , and through Bretts Moss ( the most foxy co v er in all 0 1 1 n t Cheshire) . Whether we changed here o I cannot w say , but it is most likely we did , for hounds ere quickly o n away the far side , and ran at a very good pace rn to n H straight up to a p . ere they checked for a o r two f arn r moment close to a yard , the fox having u t an d s e t evidently been headed , for he t rned to the lef f o r H his head straight the Larkton ills , but most extra t o w u o n e o f ordinary relate , hen j st within field the hills , D u he turned to the left , and ran past ckington , leaving

the wood of that name close to the right , over the l n tatro n o n e s R o th o H o s a , to Ch ter ad , r ugh the o k p and

. I below Carden Lodge , the scent getting cold hear I o ff t h e . that Lockey at this stage whipped hounds , m H yself , left them by the ooks plantation , having a long

ride home before me . I believe the time was about two

n d e . a a half hours . Up the Larkton ther was nothing n t o to complai about as pace , for the hounds kept ' 0 11 o f n plodding steadily . Most the li e is sti ish , and I t o some parts were very happy , and regret hear that Captain Paley broke the back o f as good a hunter as A t w - ever looked through a bridle . no her ell known ' retired o i cer emerged from the bottom o f a ditch b o ot

less , his gee kindly performing the part of boot jack ,

whilst his jovial valet pro te m of some fifteen stone weight , tugged away with all his might at his master ’ s prostrate

I f . form . hope that none o the actors are any the worse

Second horses were at a premium , as the line taken did ” n t a o en ble them to nick in . ’ W Sh ro On ednesday at Stapleton Village , with the p

s e h s n o t s u i ci e n t os o s o o s . hir , t ere wa fr t t t p h und Of h n — l r i to H a ll Pl n t o F o xe s . A b g . e y f 7 7

I w o t h , c t . c th sp r , owever annot ri e be ause e required t o h w animal refused turn up anywhere , alt ough kno n to S L th wo o d B o m e r . e be about tapleton , Netley , y , , and — Betton were r equisitioned in vain the first blank day of I o n e I w the season , believe , and it is , am sure , that ill be explained away before its close . ’ d t h e 11 . S w 0 Fri ay it looked as if fixture at Mr parro s , H o ff Th A . e o f lbrighton all , could not be brought ’ ground was as h ard as adamant at ten o clock About s n t w . u o u n o n th , h ts o , ho ever e broke and t e elemen P u b ald relaxed their ferocity . reston G b s soon put the b o f to wh o f e w possi ility riding the test , and people , a d minutes before had been shaking their hea s , and talking o f f o r ardwi cke going home , were seen pounding away , o f t n d u . N o a j mping fences , as if frost there was none t o Pi mh i ll crossing the road the fox made to the left , o u t and at the bottom for Merrington , where he gave m was r the the slip . Birchy Moor the next find , f om w f o x o t w w A hence a g a ay quickly to ards lbrighton , then w w o n to the right , do n to the rail ay by Leaton , and th e w as towards Moss , where there a missing link w between him and the pack , hich could not be recovered . P H o . 8 encote ool then gave forth N , that ran an exceedin gly pretty ri n g over much the same ground as w the last fello , and eventually went to ground in the H Th e Gu bb alds middle of a field ne ar encote . again w n f o x 0 11 ere tried , and agai was a foot , that very soon w Pi rn h i ll A two ent away for . fter going fields , how f o x ever , the pack met with another , that had jumped o u t o f w w up a hedgero in Vie , and him they caught very - h é d o u t quickly being minus a leg , and as it turne a r - Th e egular hen roost robber , that deserved his fate . u Pi m h nted fox , in the meantime , although viewed into t o o e d . W hill , had gone far to be recov red oul that a

rather enjoyable , and decidedly foxy , day had ended H r dw G was w here . a icke orse dra n , and a vixen T 0 11 wh o chopped . his is hard lines its good owner , has

w f o x I . sho n a here , think it is eight times this season T w as n o to - to d here blame day as hea ing her , and so

it must be put down entirely to the ch apter o f accidents . On Saturday King Nip put down his foot so n n n P H I stro gly , that hu ti g at rees eath was , should say , “ 8 H U TI G AN D SP R TI T 7 N N O NG NO E S .

I r 1 s q uite impracticable , while , as write , Ma ch bei n g u r shered m by ude Boreas and snow , rendering the n proverbial Baschurch Monday once more a delusio . P n o ff erhaps , after all , this snow is comi g to clear the r t o f t ss s t s s o s emnan i s predece or tha till linger n the hill , : and that in a f e w days we shall be tasting the first f d elights o spring . Th e land o f Ludlow rejoices in that the reign of Wick — s ted is not to be cut short his abdication having been Th e o ld W withdrawn . oore verses will still ring o u t W ’ ” w . ith truth , and e ll still go a hunting with Charlie Our local steeplechasing opens this week at Welsh 1 s i i s u ci e n tl pool , that if the awe nsp ring elements will y r elent to enable what was last year a v ery stiff and badly l All laid outline to be negotiated safe y . the world goes

t o W w . elshpool , hich is decidedly fun D o m n not forget , y foxhunti g friends , about the meeting on Saturday to consider what shall be done n n a bout hunti g the South country ext season .

N IN E TE E TH WE E A 1 s r' TH 6 . N K , M RCH TO THE

Th e I o f ma record has been beaten , and the des March y

prove more inexorable than living memory can recall . What folly it seems to head an article with H orses and H accu ati o n ounds when , like Othello , their p is gone , a n d this detestable winter has made prisoners o f hunting n f r - To m e for another long snowy and ost bound Week . l ook forward wi th such a determined foe at our door is i m o i s p ssible , so the only alternative to take a leaf out H I o f the currant jelly book and cast back . ere — accidently hit on a pleasant bit of stale scent a line 2 Wi ckst d w 1 88 . e ritten as far back as , on the late Mr n d W S a the oore country , and of hropshire , which may t b eguile a few minut es now . My au hor says On I Wi cks d r B e te l e . te eaching y , was sorry to find Mr had

1 - a been labouring under ill he lth , from which , however , H he is progre ssively recovering . e accompanied me to ! A a th e ken nels . period of five or six ye rs has elapsed

80 H U TI G AN D SP R TI G TE N N O N NO S .

1 1 i ck s te d Si r R Pul e s to n “ M . W , like ichard , goes o u t

d i n . St affo rds h rr five ays the fortnight is country , ( e ) o n e o f appears to be considerable extent , and , although I n o t I h o t am altogether a stranger to it , was aware

that it contained woodlands of acres , and these n d w oo , h h ht to o c I w dla s ic oug pr du e many cubs yearly ,

was sorry to find , seldom held a single litter . Fox i c . W k stealers abound in these parts , and Mr s te d s o remarked that if the snow should fall , as to enable f o x l 1 n th e the stea ers to trace , all the foxes these ( rn o te r o f w h re ) parts his country ould be taken . W o are ‘ the purch aser s o f these foxes ? If there we re no ’ s o f w receiver stolen goods there ould be no thieves . “ S I hropshire , as a hunting country , found like r1 o h h t o t , h s . all t er un ing c un ries after muc rain ha falle ,

. n o f deep and heavy From the stro g , rich quality the I soil , should suppose it must , generally speaking , carry It ff a good scent . s aspect is di erent from that o f n t Leicestershire , yet it pleased me better otwi hstanding the stro n g impression which is uniformly felt for the spot we an d where first breathed the vital air , the country f which formed the scenes o early life . t so happened that the frost interfered very much with my excursion to S s t rll w I w o u t hropshire , and , what was worse , hen ent Th e with the hounds , Very little sport was obtained . hounds are very similar in appearance to those o f Si r w I r H . v u n Main aring , as have already obse ed , and are commonly well m anaged both in the kennel and i n 1 the S h i s field . taples , the huntsman , is a philosopher in : i s way reserved and civil , he all attention to business ; I k w d nor do now hich to a mire most , his steady , cool , o r w and quick method with his hounds , the skill hich he f r e dis plays in the management o his horse . served Si r his apprenticeship under a great master , Bellingham G m d raha , and is a cre it to the school in which he

w o f . acquired a very superior kno ledge his profession . H wo e is well supported by t active clever whips . Independently o f its prime home brewed (which is everywhere dispensed with so much good will) Sh rOp - shire , as a hunting country , stands pre eminently ' i n o n e — s u rl i ll conspicuous respect such a thing as a y, tempered farmer is not to be met with ; such a bein g Po i n to n r i n Sp gs . 81

( co o s e e o e vo s es o uld n t exi t h r he w uld b a ided a a p t , r — driven from the country like a mad dog My ears were ’ n o t stunned with the vociferation Ware wheat ’ Ware clover ’ Ware seeds so common in many other In S a o f E . m p rts ngland hropshire , the far ers themselves are the first to set the example of riding over

wheat . Th e W rekin , which forms a conspicuous object from m s o s t o o f S sb any ituati n in he neighbourh od hrew ury , n d hi a a w ch holds many foxes , is seldom , if ever , dr wn . f o r t s mo Foxes frequently make hi celebrated untain , I where they are given up . was told that it is impossible t o get foxes away from it : yet To m Moody made them I m fl . t a y y surely answer the purpose of cub hunting . H awks to n e i cu lt n o t is equally di , foxes will leave it . Th e most extraordinary run which has o cc u re d this S s eason with the hropshire hounds , took place in the early o f D Th e w E p art o f the month ecember . fixture as rcall A P S Mill . fox was found in ointon prings , he was a rattled through v rious coverts , and stood up before the f o r hounds two hours and a quarter , in which time he had w r led them across t enty five miles of country , a g eat part

“ f o which had been at a quick pace , when he contrived to

e t . Th e n g to ground , the leading hounds at his brush drai o f was of no great extent , and some the hounds forced themselves into it at both ends so that the fox was two placed between parties of his unsparing pursuers , and o f o f thus deprived the power moving either way , while h S t e . W latterwere unable to reach their object ill taples , t h e w huntsman , began to move the earth ith the end of his whip (the d rain being superficial) while his whipswere o f f i n quest more ef ective instruments for the purpose . B S y the time a spade was procured , taples had ascertained f 1 1 the exact position o the fox . e was immediately ru n bolted , and not being able to , sought shelter under S the briars in the ditch . taples instantly thrust his hands into the briars and seized th e fox but unluckily ’ o f placing one hand by the side the fox s hea—d , and happening to have a crooked finger upon that han d from some previous injury—which came laterally in contact w ’ l ith the fox s mouth , the atter got it between his n m n g ri ders , where he held it al ost as fast as ifit had bee 82 H UNTI NG AN D SPOR TIN G NOTE S ;

In : w . S scre ed in a vice this situation , taples drew th e n o t o s , h t o n f x from the briar and as t ey did par c mpa y , m o f so e the gentlemen called to him to loose the fox . ’ ’

H e m e S . won t loose , cried taples In o r an d a a second two he dropped , was inst ntly u f an d n seized again by the n linching huntsman , throw

amongst the hounds . But as the usual ceremonies had n not been performed , it became necessary to regai

o f f o x w S was ' possession the , hich taples not able to ff w th e e ect , o ing to the severe pain he felt , arising from ’ o f Th e operation the fox s teeth . hounds , in an instant , f o x o f deprived the life , and he was taken from them by

Mr . Clay ; after undergoing the usual process , he was w thro n a second time amongst the hungry pack , and quickly disappeared . A fter this reminiscence , Borderer takes heart to make ’ a f o r ard cast beyond even the possibilities o f resuming hunting this season for a few fleeting days into the E o f lysian fields another season , and he congratulates the Shrewsbury country 0 11 having arranged for their unity with their hitherto more favou red northe rn neigh d n 1 h o u r s an wo M1 . , having from Lonsdale the promise I o f his hunting their country free o f cost next season . have no doubt that an adequate poultry and covert fund an d will be provided , that foxes will be well preserved If c an as well as some new coverts laid down . advice 0 11 I be judiciously given such a subject , would say let — gratitude be evidenced by pro rn pti tu d e in this matter a n o w an d o f n fund provided , the lives breeding Vixe s saved will do more f o r o u r future sport than adopting the more cockney and less satisfactory method of turning down I d o f tame cubs . know which mo e procedure most - An d . pleases a master , and conduces to sport . so Mr i cks t d C . W e after all is going to retire from the Ludlow country I It is sad to have to write it after the flicker f w of hope he gave us a e days back . But we now resign v s t t v s Si r oursel e to he inevi able , and de outly wi h

William Curtis as happy and durable a reign as h as . m s iled upon his predecessor .

8 4. H UN TIN G AN D SP R TIN G N TE S O O . f orward to hun t the whole country next season free of c In o f I ost . the matter foxes , have already ventured m t y advice that the stock now lef should , if possible , be protected during the breeding season , and this can mainly b e done by liberality with the poultry fund , and its being s o announced without delay . Keepers must be kept on I r i the right side . attribute the inc ease of foxes n some I o f places could mention , to the lessening game pre T s ervation . here is something inherently antagonistic An o ld between a gamekeeper and a fox . story , which I A illustrates what mean , is worth repeating here . F H f E MH W o ho s . t s gentleman w wa an in he e t ngland , a n d o t t o h o o s e s wh tr”ied o ac up t t e mott , F xes a w ll a Th e pheasants , had just engaged a new head keeper . m an came from a rather suspicious quarter , but was s trictly enjoined not to destroy the foxes , and this he T promised faithfully to obey . here were two litters that

spring in the park , which were occasionally visited during

t h e . summer by the master One day , as autumn was d rawing on , he went , after a rainy night , to see whether o f the cubs could be padded near the earth , but no sign t T hem was to be found . his aroused his suspicion , but th e keeper averred that they had moved to another earth . T h e underkeeper was ordered to make further search ; he did so , and found two places where the earth was u n o f freshly moved , and on t r ing it up found a brace — beautifully healthy cubs each had had a leg broken in T a trap . hese carcases were duly brought to the master . Th e was head keeper was sent for , and told that there some suspicion o f unfair play hav ing been going o n with Th If e . the foxes . keeper was resolute there had b f o r een any foul play it was unknown to him , he would H not allow such a shameful thing o n any account . e

h M F . H d . T e . h a taken every possible care of them . ” ’ r I o u W ? I ll e e o b v y . t , , pli d do n t elie e ”ha me sir

I . o ve o , o th e take my ath ha n t”killed them qu th e k eper “ T n D o o m ? e o s s . e y u ean” that r j ined hi ma ter h take the book , holding out the testamentary Bible , Th w m . e hich , as a agistrate , he always kept by him m n oo oo s , h keeper t k the b k in hi h”and when t e gentle a s H o , b , aid ld hard my friend , and ringing the ell in walked the footman with the two cubs as before Ne w go rs e co v e r ts . 8 5

It to o h o t f o r a . o c t rranged n w be ame he delinquent , n d o u t : W I di d i t I a he blurted ell , then , do , and w co t t , t o o uld no help i for it ould be u”nna ural in me n t t was u ki ll wh at I bro ght up to do . Of course he got th e M E . . w sack , and the imbibed a salutary lesson , hich i rs o f T s o o o h s t , t he ha handed d ”wn t f r t e ake spor rus n o t your keepers . An d n o w o s o s ov s w h ab ut the e new g r e c ert , hic when m w s ade ill be a great boon to the country , e pecially the W t L th wo o one roxe er way , and the other near y d . H aving had a good deal o f experience in both so wing l an ti n 0 1 o rs e s I w f e w wo r1 ds o f and p g g , may be allo ed a I d n . an w advice have tried both planting so i g , and 0 b u t e succeeded in both , prefer the latter as the mor f two m P o . A i certain the ethods lough in pr l , and 0 1 1 n o t v s o w sow barley oats , a hea y crop then the gorse o u w h seed broadcast , exactly as y ould other seeds , suc o r A - . t e as clover rye grass , and harrow it in harvest tim l e cut the grain pretty high up the straw , and the stubb w will protect the young gorse , hich is very tender the R w w an d first year . abbits ill damage it the first inter , ff A o . w must be kept fter ards they do good , as they d f o r A f e w keep it open un er foxes to creep about in it . h o r S larc cotch firs as a boundary to it are an advantage , s as they give it a protecting fringe , and deter maliciou o f people from setting fire to it . Five acres is plenty extent f o r a gorse under any ordinary circums tance s d do c u t . If b e and not a ri e in it it is larger , you may d t o w tempted to divide it by a ri e , so as get foxes a ay

a o u w . more e sily , and by doing so y ill probably spoil it I di d s o o n n once , and never could rely the covert agai o n D o n o t as a holding e . make an artificial earth inside t i u wo . It c lt a gorse , for reasons will be always di o u b e to get at to stop , and secondly y will have to continually disturbing the covert to go to the earth and ’ t Th e o f s op it . smell a man s foot within his sanctuary ’ w o f 1 to s is orse than that a dog , and is fatal a fox

r happiness . ave your earth outside in an adjoining o r Th e f wood plantation . worst o gorse coverts are that o f r m foxes , by the aid abbits , make earths in their idst , o u d m d w do which y can sel o iscover , and hich , if you , f r I you dare not touch o fear o f spoiling the covert . had H U TIN G AN D S P R TI TE S 8 6 N O NG NO .

o f f o r been aware such an earth in a gorse of mine years , w o f I hich had cheated us many a run , but never saw

the earth until after the gorse was burnt , and even then it was o f o f h tt c s . s the ome a li er ub Natural earth , 1 however , are not so likely to be made in a covert such as o n d If o n this , where it is planted pretty level groun . ’ o f k Pe e l e s G f o r the side a bank , li e orse instance , the n In o f place is sure to be ho eycombed . the exuberance u h o t - a my yo th , and headed love for all th t pertained to f o x I E o D w preservation , once brought from ps m o ns a l o t o f r Th e seedling go se to plant in Wales . late Mr . S o f wa s tudd , Lord the Manor , trying to rid the six mile o f s o a hill gorse , as to improve the training g llops , and I k w obtained leave to ta e the yearling shoots , ith which I t d I “ D G plan e a covert that called erby orse , and a wa As I w o f o n o f great success it s . rite the mask e its m e w heroes complacently looks at , inspiring me ith a r a o f 8 rd o f 1 879 emembr nce that March , , when he

contributed so gloriously to o u r enjoyment . On looking o f wh o w through some note books a loved one , ill never a gain cheer us with his company in these sub -lunary I o f hunting fields , chanced upon his account this very an d n un o ld run , perhaps in such a hu gry t e as this any c rumb may be o f comfort to yo u r sporting readers that has a genuine ring about i t so that I may be forgiven r if I quote his diary o n this D e by Gorse fox . Met at P D . G illeth Found at once in erby orse , Bob putting i n o n w A w the est side . way over the top ith the hounds ’ c lose at him , over Morris s ground , crossing the lane to o f W d the right the arren , where they checke , letting o f H most the field up wh o had got a bad start . annibal h i m w Gwe rn affe l D an d to hit do n ingle , down the G wal s e W w e ood , where he had loitered , and raced him Fr dd an d w away through the y , , turning do n , crossed the P an d 0 1 1 t o resteign road near the turnpike , Farrington th e W an d th e ground , by ithy tree , over Meeting ouse H ’ S W ill , past Carter s and over the tone all ill , down t o W w I illey Lodge , here thought we were going to f o ld rd c a . atch him , as he almost passed through the y ’ B u t wa s 0 1 1 H this gallant fox , and over arley s Mountain —a f o r n o w fearful pull the horses , reduced to five or s i x— o f across the big fields the Farlands , to the Lingen

8 8 H UN TIN G AN D SP R TI O NG N OTE S .

T alking of killing foxes late in the season , it is a . re corded fact that the Belvoir H ounds once on the l 0 th A of pril killed five old foxes , and thirteen or fourteen c T ubs . his is a feat unworthy of emulation . What

w i s . Borderer keeps on saying , asleep and a ake , shall we have a fair chance of trying to catch an other f o x A 9 P this side ugust . erhaps not

TWE TY IR ST WE E A 1 5 TR 2 TH N 0 . F K , M RCH TO

G l A welcome change . ulliv er in al his travels neve r ’ m m i n . ca e across such a transfor at o in scene , climate , and A degree , than we have during the last three days . n I Ca adian winter breaks as suddenly , believe , into S a s we ch air e f u l pring seem to be doing , but even in this g climate o f ours few of us have exp erienced such an th e abandonment of extreme cold , and presence ofbalmy

Spring wit hin the 1 1 eek . Th e very sniff of the altered state o f the atmosphere 0 11 T e n e w made sportsmen hursday night f el men , and

w t o . on Friday , come hat might , Borderer felt compelled 0 11 be a horse , just for a bit of exercise iffor nothing else , . Th e to give the liver a turn , and risk being kicked off. an d f o n n d n o fog would be sure to clear by noon , a stick So to resistance in the ground , except here and there . t H E t . N o igh rcall he trotted , in soli ary grandeur a u n P o f h ting coat on the broad horizon . lenty people ’ b n Mr w o f R I e t on a sale at . Le is s oden , which should - f hope was a success owing to the break u p o the frost . T T at hank goodness , there were hatcher and the hounds S e all events , even it the hropshire people , excepting som s t core , had not awoken to the fact hat hunting was S r practicable as soon as the fog cleared . ome shook thei ‘

. I . . heads mpossible to ride Bosh , my friends , an d we we hounds can hunt , follow them must as best H f u ll can . orses will jump all the better at the ditches ’ f or o f of snow , only don t ride too fast at them fear the ff A take o being a trifle treacherous . bout twelve R o wto n 9 1 1 Go rs e . 8

’ o u t o ld So l w we w o clock came , and a ay ent to draw E P w we w rcall ark , here very soon had an holloa a ay , which when we arrived at the scene was p ronounced to be w 0 11 a vixen , hich the hounds their part seemed as much to Th e disinclined hu n t as did the huntsman . other w ' coverts nearer the river ere blank , and so was the

Marle it has not held a fox this year , and is thoroughly

o n e w as . cut up and disturbed , so no disappointed ’ P Forester s lantation , too , followed suit , and there was h G not ing left but a move to R owton orse . Never perhaps in the annal s o f Shropshi re has such a s mall o t field gone down to take part in this draw. N more o n e o f w h than a score , all told , half hic by common w t o consent ent the further end next the railway , and o f w the remainder waited at the foot the hill , a field a ay , S : so that there should be no excuse f o r headinghim . till b ut patiently we waited . Foxes were at home , their stay at home propensities that have so often been the bane of At this sweet little cover t seemed as strong as ever . last w the first hip gives a faint cheer , and the quiet scene A t o springs into life . fox had broke at the p corner by o f w the side the brook , and hounds flashed up the meado r d d m o n t . pa allel wi h it Our little cohort is ivide , so e o n It one side , and same the other . is a doubtful point o w t o which fortune will favour . N they cross the brook “ e o n our side , and we waiv a defiant come to our 0 11 In e friends the other side . another field they hav f o r r e - b e the laugh at us , hounds cross , and we have to o f after them . Luckily , a ford is straight in front us , an d w we n w a ay go pre ttily . Frost and s o are forgotten ; d f o x the country ri es safely enough . Our takes us still 0 1 1 w the grass parallel with the rail ay and brook , a pretty D h f rd ? to line . oes he mean Wyt e o No ; he leaves it E ll rdi n N o w e e . the left , and seems his point there is the are brook in earnest , and , as usual , second thoughts A n l b u t w worst . Chest ut and a ady are over , ith the as d rest there is scrambling and grief , the next fiel gives w - ff d r flo u n de rs us a orse take o and landing . Bor e er b o d d e into a g, a sol ier mistakes a plank bri ge for a saf m o f k w eans crossing , and in goes his horse , luc ily ithout damage . ounds are accommodating in their pace , and a wa s o E lle rdi n e do no run straight v from us , that before H U TIN A D SP R TI TE 9 0 N G N O NG N O S .

is reached we are with them again . ere scent seems an d to desert us altogether , it looks as if he has beaten ’ T o f u us , but hatcher s ideas his whereabo ts are right , he f o r W th e f o rd r has turned back y , in a little covert befo e h reaching which he laid down . T e first whip cleverly 0 11 an d o u t catches his eye him , hounds come and race W th e f o rd W o n e e him in View into y ood , through corn r o u t w S r R o n e ofit , and to ards the hawbu y oad , other dash w o u t into the ood and again , only to be caught in the o B o rde re r th o u h t pen , rather ignominiously as g , although o ld an d i s ff u T he proves an fox , sti as a cr tch . his shows h o w the heavy state o f the ground and long inactivity had o n o u r f o e We told as much as upon ourselves . had run

him about forty minutes . Better than staying at home , we n o t o u r we all agreed , for had warmed blood , and f o x ? T o f f o r seen a killed hen ended the fun the day , ’ w a s f o x W th e f o rd P there no other in y , Morgan s ool , or az e l s S u I w the . On at rday , believe , they ere to go to th e I n o t w ills from the Kennels , and have heard hat 0 I w o f befell . N can give any later intelligence this eek R o r n w I ednal other places , havi g to be else here , but ’ sh all hope for a full budget f o r next week if all s well . So the Wheatland are goin g back to their o ld manage m T to ent , and Mr . urnbull is going take the horn ' a I most plucky proceeding , considering his age . t is acknowledged 0 11 all hands that no o n e knows the To w t t th a s . h h coun ry be ter n he does , nor i keener ic he f o r w w I adds a natural aptitude the ork , hich think n obody else has attained to , and to which Borderer adds

his blessing . All the world will go to Liverpool t o see the Grand N o ru n t w t t lm ati nal his eek , and i will seem like he pa y d ays of steeplechasing when at least twenty-fiv e com e ti to rs R w p will sport silk . My pet inglet has met ith an R n o t I accident , and edpath is so strong a favourite as

. S S a expected My other chosen ones , inbad , avoy rd , and G w I erona ill run well , think , but are in the outside d I ivision , while vanhoe will play second fiddle to the w m e second favourite , Coronet , hom everybody tells

~ R d II n W P . ca not be beaten . hen called rince u olph he c ertainly has not performed like such a good horse , but m w n I . I ti e will sho . dare not oppose him do not thi k

92 H U TIN G AN D SP R TIN G TE S N O NO .

a good deal of the run . While the fox was being dug out another was soon put going in the R uyton Shrub b e i r h . m t o o eries e lost no time in g off at the botto , f o r m w quick indeed the ajority of the field , down to ards h o t atto n S , before reaching which he turned to the right o f H for the higher ground Knockin H eath . ere a good 0 11 c o b R T ' e v . . old sportsman his grey , the Mr abor , came — a terrible purler a strong stake completel y t urned over e both horse and rider , and when the horse rose ther d n o t h e f seeme life in prone form o the rider . Kind d Si r W th e , t t , han s including a kin , soon lif ed him up and d : octor , whose nags are always so near the front , was

happily within call , so that what appeared like a

dislocated neck was quickly screwed straight again . ’ Tab e r s n o t n Mr . tumbles have bee few , and we trust e o n e h he will r cover from this as he as from others . H e m o f f o f is ade stif er materials than most his cloth , f to and we can ill af ord lose him . All this time hounds w ’ G were running ell to Lord Bradford s orse , where they an d w o n S d P l w checked , then ent to andfor oo , here he A w as headed back to the gorse and killed . nother

enjoyable run for those who had n o t to assist in Mr . ’ n Tabor s accident . I the meantime the first fox had

hi s . been unearthed , and was given another chance for o f w was life , hich he failed to avail himself , and killed

in Grig ill . k Another accident befell o n e o f our best men l a st wee . W o u t Si r W A P hen with atkin , Lord lexander aget accomplished the rather unusual feat for him o f standing

d w . on his hea , hich rendered him unconscious for a time

We all rejoice to hear he is not much the worse . Sporting papers have improved the occasion by n th t , s t ts announcing a Owing to numerou di”sappoin me Si r Watkin will not hunt again till May 1 and such i s the gullibility o f the daily papers that they have o n e an d

all copied this palpable absurdity . T W On uesday , Mr . Corbet was as usual at renbury f with his crowd o followers . Broomhall was the first w h starting place , but the fox chose an a kward line wit W 1 w the river eave , the canal , and rail ay to be crossed , f G and did not af ord much fun . Courts orse gave a T m e short spin to ground near Aston . hen Comber er E a to n Al asco tt . 93

i n the evening , when the bulk of pursuers had retreated 1 to their t ains , produced a sharp little gallop , the best ’ f D am an d o the day , to Burley , over Bennett s Brook , ’ 1 to ground at B ook s Mill , too soon to make it as good a s it ought to have been had the fox gone straight o r i n

the line he had chosen . E Mas co tt S Wednesday , at aton , the hropshire turned

‘ u . W o s , o s , oo ut in full trength and the y ung q ire Mr d ,

. U m showed splendid hospitality nluckily , his ho e

coverts had been disturbed by strolling dogs , and

Goldings , for the first time this season , did not hold a Th e D was fox . ole at Cound , however , more fortunate .

H ere a brace were found . One broke over the railway M s co tt f o r E o a , o , s s at n the ther after some per ua ion , S got away down past Lower Cound to the river evern , but he was not so amphibious as the last fox in that f o r country , he swung back to the left , and made a pretty S - . o n circuit to Colton uch nice clean cut fences , sound

. S both sides , and no picking places hropshire jumping H e n powder was to the fore . then took them o to W Brompton ood , dodged about a bit here , and then H went nearly to the Cross ouses , managing to elude his pursuers at the junction of the roads near the E aton

Mas co tt . S Lodge long blank draw ensued , tevens H A P ill , cton Burnell ark , and the Obelisk being the f P o . principal scenes it itchford , however , came to the P rescue , and in the Birches lanting , a good fox was o f C an tl o found that took the remnant the field fast to p,

and then sharp back to the left to the Clump , through ’ o n Si r d the big wood , and over Frederick s mo el farm T to the Obelisk where they checked . hatcher hunted hi m h i m a few fields beyond , but failed to hit towards F b o u n ds rodesley ill , a couple of having in the mean time taken the line towards Acton Burnell Park Wood — fi m e . not an inviting place at v p . On Thursday there were the dual attractions o f B e tti sfie ld Si r W au hm o n d A with atkin , or g bbey with fi l d the Shropshire . Let us take a peep at B e tti s e first . ’ Si r E f H an m e r s foxes had betaken themselves by common w w consent to the Fens , hich all the sporting orld here w Wh G Mo s s :an d abouts kno s is a part of ixall reat , -about as awkward a place for a bustling field as could 94 H UN TIN G AND SP R TI G T O N N O E S .

e w m d . S w w ell be i agin even foxes were vie ed a ay . some d of them apparently taking goo lines , but on none of d n d r d u these coul the hou s be p evaile pon to come . A H olloas and anathemas were useless . t last all the m a r t a d th s re ining foxes appa en ly m e emselves carce , and h d 1 B l k H the maste1 gave t e wo 1 f o ac o e . e 1 e some of th e 1 u d d . I d escape ones had passed th o gh , but staye not scoy 1 o d u ce d wa s h d w e p a vixen that immediately c oppe , hil b e tte i a u n a wa w her h lf in a most gentlem nly y, ent to

grou n d before her very face . Kiln Gre en l Vo o d was ” we w n a . blank , and then ere at the Fe s gain One sti old f o x th at h ad had a good ru n on his o wn accoun t was l an d . m . L an b e dde r w s caught , then at four p Moss a A wa s wa an d a . o ordered to be drawn fox so n a y, g ve us u S a nice twenty min tes to ground . o much f o r a v e rv

peaty day . H au ghm o n d Abbey failed to draw so large a field as a an d w a w H di d usu l , h t is orse , olly Coppice not hold a T w two h . h h th h , w an d fox ere ere or t ree on e ill o ever , af te i t o one of these , a little badgering , essayed to go H b u t was a u olly Coppice , he of nervo s temperament , ’ and was flu s te 1 e d by an excellent s p0 1 ts man s physiognomy m ad d a 1 in the , so that he met his e th in the bit of go se A wa s k d o close by . nother fox po e out of a rabbit hole n an d a T was R n the hill , h lloaed , but hatcher bent on ode was P S Coppice , which blank , and also oynton prings ,

E b u r W Su n de rto n . Th e G h y ood , and regories , owever, d a made amends for much is ppointment , as a fox broke t o Su n do rn e D the south , skirting the ecoy , crossed

a Pi ml e R a . the main ro d to y ough , most unusual line

Th t h h h , h a c er , before e reac ed here ad a nasty cropper at th e d brook ; the old Colonel jumpe short , and fell back into it . It looked as if the fox meant crossing the canal r S Mo n kmo o r and iver evern to , but his intentions luckily h a were not so severe . H e ran parallel with t e can l back a1 d h 1 wsb u T a bi u t o w s S e ry . hose th t liked g j mping had a 1 e m ai n de r W i t t we h d th 1 e . h , g es an y for e en it looked as if he would ente1 the county town he tur n ed to the e d d n d o f t 1 e c1 o s s h a 1 o a , a w t c t righ , t e m in en a api al line a a d 0 1 w gr ss back to B ttlefiel , just bef e reaching hich came

a k Sh awb m 1 . H t 0 h o we v e 1 . chec on the y oad it ing him , , i an u to w they p Battlefield , here he dodged about ,

— The Co lo n e l Old J o e . 95

n d re - th e a wa u a , t at crossing crossing r il y q i e be en , and s u a a w wa event lly c ught on the rail ay bridge , after a v e rv

nice r u n of an h o ur an d seven minu tes . I am s a a h T r re - sorry to y th t , alt ough hatche mounted Th e an d h a d w Colonel , the orse c rrie him onderfully up to k i n th e a e a the chec ro d , he ther f ltered , and was d u wa d f o r h e d a evi ently inj red in r ly , die th t night . A a m a an d a e u gre t loss to the ster , bett r h nter for a light

weight neve r went into a field . Th e Grand N ational monopolis e d the West Midlands 0 11 F ri da v an d never di d a more exciting race ensue to e u a a b rouse the nth si sm of the ssem led multitude . It is an r w - e d m y yea s since t enty three hors s have compete . F e w exp e cted the Shrews b u ry A u tu mn H u nt Steeplechase w Ol d u an d e t inner , Joe , to p ll through , y he proved

himself the best st aye r of the lot . This will make us

think mor e of o u r hu nters a fte r all . Ol d Joe had been S u ma an d the property of a cotch h nts n , had cost £ 3 0 ; d a b B a but his blood is un eni le , being by refoot , a son of ’ Cli f d e n s o u t S kwe a an d Lord , of a toc ll m re , his dam ’ a D I n du s t ri e T u being by Chev lier , out of r th by the m e n Sa d w d Libel . One of y sel ctio s , voyar , oul as nearly as possible have wo n h ad he not fallen at the last hu rdl e , H e as he h as more speed than the winner . is a son of the - w . G great New Os estry amecock , another fine hunter like wa s an d To o G d horse third , oo proved not quite good h a s I wi n I u , t , t t t h h eno g expec ed o he rop y for the ris men , as he had to leather away in the rear of Old Joe thro u gh A . r mi ci a out the journey Our Cheshire ma e , , was n o t u an d q ite so fit as she might have been , her big trial so u P near the day no doubt pset her . erhaps she will m h improve u pon this for with time . S e jumped the

c a . ountry , and be t more than beat her Borderer cou ld not get to the H awkestone Hills on S atu rdav and reserves Basch u rch (Monday) for th e H e a a dd future . might h ve ed to these notes a day with th W t H f d Pc mb ri d e St h e es ere or at g ation , but ere d e d u isappointment r igne s preme , so he hopes for better t h fi n d ay h a u n th e hings ere t ese ne spri g s ve r” g e kn ll of w . as a the season For one more eek only , the pl y bills — t th o e w h t r w say and posi ively e sp ng ill ave to be h o n up , e ‘Vre ki n L o n m n d xcept at the and g y . H U TIN G AN D SP R TIN G N TE S N O O .

I E MAR C H 3 1 s r' r o AP L 1 311 T R D WE . TWE NTY K , RI 7

I P t R h , h h . t ille h , in adnors ire as an istoric interest was here that the Welsh an d E nglish tried conclusions many a o w R h ad k c enturies g , hen oger Mortimer to ta e a lickin — g from Owen Glyndwr a feat that drove back the s u premacy of the Lords of the Marches f o r many a lon g year out of t was P w S a this Border country . I at illeth here h kespeare has immortalised the cru el behavio ur of the Welsh women d E m over the bo ies of t hose hated nglish en . To - N o w all that is happily forgotten and forgiven . day we meet in good tempered rivalry with no ideas of Chevy H d C hase pervading u s . ere come the descen ants of R oger — — Mortimer there is a H arley a mongst them a lineal v d an d r an d th e representati e of Oxfor Mo timer , here are — Owen Glyn dwr s of to -day the representatives of those whose tombs in yonder little ch u rch carry u s b ack to former

u w was . cent ries , hen foxhunting not preferred to fighting A curious old parish register hereabo u ts gives us a clu e d w d was r to the ate hen fox estruction merito ious , and H when the tide turned in the favour of foxhunting . ere are some extracts

1 0 4 D . 7 In A . For killing a f 1 71 4 Paid E dward Lucas for digging out the

1 7 1 5 two P Killing urchins , John rice 1 71 8 For destroying K e wo tt s 1 7 2 1 For ale when fox was killed 1 72 4 Mary Vau ghan for expenses at killing Foxes Fo r killing six foxes Ditto two Foxes 1 72 5 Mary Vaugh an for expenses of killing t wo foxes 1 7 3 0 For killing a fox A l e at ditto

T 1 8 0 0 s , th ct c hi goes on up to when e pra i e ceases , and T no doubt hunting began . hese exploits came o u t of th e u an d n o k Ch rch rates , doubt Mary Vaughan ep t the village

public . Supposing we charged foxhunting on the rates

98 H UN TING AND SPOR TIN G N TE O S .

A ’ the higher ground . t Bowen s hedges hounds hesitated

, o t for a moment but the Col nel soon put them righ , S through the round fir clump . tanage was left 0 1 1 ’ W a H a u the left , illey Lodge p ssed and rley s Mo ntain A 1 P d a . w p rtially climbed long its s de , opposite e ardine W w u k ood they ran prettily , and do n thro gh Ber ley Knoll .

u -s Just an ho r to this point , quite straight , said a trust o r a worthy watch . Now came the second , middle ph se of

. T n this great run ur ing to the right , above the main road , we u a had to enco nter ploughed l nd , sheep, and lots of d ffi i culties , past the Farlands , and then turned by a team h t a th e up the ill again , i took us nearly an hour to c rry scent into the upper end of Lin gen Vall e tts . H e re to the real hound lover was perhaps th e greatest treat of the N w a day . ever lifted a yard , ithout holloa or aid o an h w m w f y kind , t ey had orked out their proble ith a patience and push that could not h ave been excelled . th e V all e tt s w th e Once in scent slo ly improved , until lower end in some thick briars our fox had waited . an d w Borderer heard the crash , imagine his joy at vie ing th e him over the side , scarce fifty yards in front of Y s wa fi ! e , th s h w pack ere he , t e self same fine fello l d that had p1 o u d y waved efiance to us at the start , w w an d h i s s tl ai ht but n o he ent sti high , back was still g ,

u a s an d . I b t his coat w dirty , had lost its gloss gave him an th e 1 to an d w o ten minutes live , stirred up the ell bred S f 0 1 o rt A young iderolite another e las , the fallacy of human calculations ! Down to wa1 d s th e village he is R d . tw a an headed ound the o hundred cre covert , another W e . vain attempt to get away . shall catch him No , he T war . is over Coleshill , and out to ds Kinsham here are t o — w w lines hounds dash back to ards the hill , but the e n r d Colon l shakes his head omi ously , his p actise eye sees w wh o d r that he is rong , but can stop houn s with ti ed T b u t horses and up a hill ? here is nothing for it patience , and here Colonel Price excels all other huntsmen I ever H e n s aw. gets to them at last , and retur s to the spot , h whe1 e he thinks the mischief wa s done . T e field in the meantime have either been tailed o or have lost he a1 t at

e o n tve te n t s 1 w n o w. this p , for ve y few are ith the master Borderer confe sses to the bitter compunction which compelled him o n reaching the top of Coleshill to decline B aschm ch . 9 9

’ To further contest . kill a friend s horse would have been a a d n h e an altern tive that , r e t as is , he never could have

i a m . So d ben gnly cco plished , sadly discontente , he turned m wa1 d s a w o h o e for solitary t elve miles j g , cogitating over 1 1 1 11 a a u this great , ment lly decidin g th t this fox m st be a a l i neal descendant of the old Norton wolf , tremend ous b i g fox that for s e v e 1 al seasons h a d defied the hounds b u t I 0 11 was killed at last . nquiries the road told h i m that i n d wa s 1 o b ab l his f i e not in front , so he would p y pick ’ ’

r u t . A d him u p e n o e . But he didn t n long after B s legs h — 11 1 - had been under his ma ogany not till nine p . . did a “ Wh w 1 11 familiar voice exclaim , y, hat the world became H ’ — hi m w of you , B ere s his brush pulled do n in the ’ — I ll w we H open the same fox , s ear it , that found at e n cwm — — killed him near Lyme brook after runnin g past ’ Gi sb u rn e s D G , and up to eerford orse, then to the finish wa w nearly the whole y in vie . Only three of us there ’

. u D beside s the Colonel Fo r hours altogether . on t you call ‘ B Ye s I d o th e u was that a run , and if res lt not a m We d d triu phofthe lsh cross in hounds , ai e by consummate a judgment in the huntsm n , over the best of foxes , Borderer d k w h rd c 0 11 T o oes not no w at ve i t to pass it . compute d ru n ffi u To the istance of this is very di c lt . Berkeley G was t w we ate a straigh seven miles , after ards there re m u w m b we any t rns and indings , but easuring y time , found ’ f e w d a minutes before one o clock , and kille about five d m . u . w p , wo ld make the istance much beyond t enty miles , an d considering the deep state of the ground there can be n f little wo der that so e w horses go t to the end of it . “ d 2 9th Si r W 0 On Mon ay , the , atkin at last brought a B as ch m ch d . Th e Monday , after many isappointments r w o an d d h o n o ders ere for the L rdship , nobo y w wit essed that long cavalcade of well -appointed men an d horses S could gainsay the fact that hropshire is a sportin g county . Gr f G was fi t d t a ton orse the rs place of epar ure , and a fox was a w w n d r ttled a ay to ards Mo tford Bri ge , and then , w n a E r heeli g to the right , touched a larch plant tion of a l ’ Po wi s s wa s 0 11 A dco t w e d , and pushed to , here , hard press , this poor lordly pu g revisited the scene of his nightly da r w depre tions in the hen oost , here Lockey soon acted as e xe i h i m A r D cu t o n e d . turnkey , and the pack Mrs . lf ed arby as o z A w revenged f r the loss of her pri e poultry. merica U TIN G AND SP R TIN G N OTE 1 0 0 H N O S .

H n o w became the scene of Operation s . o w our cousins across the Atlantic would rej oice if they had such a covert and such a sweet bit of galloping ground from it as here n w d d th e S u n . w abo ds Lyi g in a i e ben of evern , near here e rn i e w A r t the V j oins it , me ica gives a very smar fifteen e s s cli n T minu tes gallop to N or a ywhere else . o day it a h eld fox that went away in good style , and a o rde d no end of fun until he managed to make his escape near the ’ d h N e s s cli fi scene of the first fox s eat . then became th e order of the day , and my information goes no further. A h m d S t Loppington on t is sa e Mon ay, the hropshire w an d di d had a long fruitless dra , not find until they Pr Gu bb alds m h reached eston , fro which t ey had a fas t - twen ty fiv e minutes and killed . Tuesday and Wednesday were days 0 1 1 which it was next i m ao s s i l e to b to face the blustering and rainy elements . Conseq u ently little 0 1 1 no sport could be expected from tw d w t th Sh h h r th Leebo oo i h e rops ire , althoug a fox f om e aw d l 1 1 L ley took them to Fro es ey and Netherwood , and M . ’ Corbe tt h ad a good run from Major Starkey s covert to Pe f t an d War dl e h h s d ck or on , w ere e wa kille in spite of the weather . T u da On h rs y , at the fifth milestone on the Baschurch

R . P oad , foxes did not seem plentiful erhaps the open

e r m . a ths accounted for this in a easure Fitz Coppice ,

u u d n . A t Leaton , and its s rro n i gs failed to produce a fox last Merrington set the ball rolling towards Middle Park an d H H w w 0 11 armer ill , here a brace ere foot , and hounds d d— w r u G ivide one lot going to a ds Bro ghton orse , and the In wa . e other the opposite y the result , both foxes w re soon

m . lost , and a poor day ca e to an end Th e famili ar form of the old Leaton grey will n ever again show u s h o w the Shropshire country sho u ld be crossed . H e came to grief in a b i g run with the Cheshire 11 n d s A wn r 0 a wa . s Friday , gently laid to his rest his o e A s d m h ad truly says , goo a one any men may have ; a e H i s r was m d b tter , never . almost faultless fo m i mortalise r n I to h th t t , ejoice say, in a sketc in ese o es las season and those in search of a hunter will not do amiss to carry in u an d n eye this combination of power , pl ck , perfectio , such as were marke d in this gran d old hun ter that had se e n l we l nigh twenty summe rs .

H U TIN G AND SPOR TIN G TE S 1 0 2 N N O .

Shropshire farmers may go farther an d fare worse r P o s o s , e o o M . . than in patr nising a hire h r ”e th pr perty f P I M. . S Muntz , , called urprise , that had the pleasure - S A fi - of looking over to day at hrewsbury . rs t rate s c e o o s o - c o se s c pe im n f a p werful h rt legged art h r , u h v as is sure to impro e the breed wherever he goes . o n I congratulate the county his acquisition . m m Th An d now my notes ust co e to an end . e season I for all practical purposes is done . wish it had told a We more flattering tale . sportsmen are not unaccustomed to failures and disappointments , and , therefore , are able n - to bear like true Brito s this short , frost bound , bad

scenting season , grateful that there is much to look

o o , s s f rward t a few pleasant glimpse in the pa t , and T may hopeful signs in the future . here is not one cloud 0 1 1 the horizon which threatens us with real dangers . o f b ut n o t Birds evil omen croak faintly , we heed them , knowing that o u r West Midland Chronicle is likely to m i m a i n a1 survive any an angry scare , and many an g y l c u l di ty . “ I have e n de av o u re re d to hold the mirror up to ” n o t s o nature , and if the picture has alway been fair to v w look upon as the keenest among us could ha e ished , ’ d o P r u o n not let us forget ope s t uthf l essay criticism ,

wherein he says ,

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