MR. JOHN COUPLAND 51 



On the following Friday, 9th February, the 

 Quorn had again another first-rate day's sport, 

 though without killing a fox. Finding at Barkby 

 Holt, they ran round by Queniborough and then 

 straight away to Ashby Pastures^ — very fast. The 

 quickest thing of the day, however, was a streaming 

 gallop from Thorpe Trussells, in which hounds were 

 always a field ahead of horses. This was a ring, 

 but so fast had it been that most people had no idea 

 such was the case until they found themselves back 

 at the starting-point. Fresh foxes in every direc- 

 tion and a bad scenting covert saved the life of 

 the one that had staggered back in front of hounds. 

 This was perhaps an unsatisfactory day for hounds 

 and huntsmen, but for the hard riding section of 

 the field I think it was the best day of the season. 



There was little more sport in February, and 

 then came a first-rate scenting day on the 2nd of 

 March. Foxes were getting scarce on the south 

 side of the Quorn Friday country, and the good 

 scent was wasted. There was, however, a very fast 

 forty minutes from Lord Morton's, and hounds 

 fairly raced their fox to death ; but it was a twisting 

 sort of gallop, and did not commend itself to the 

 hard riders. 



The following Monday the Quorn had very 

 indifferent sport in the morning at Lodge-in-the- 

 Wolds, though they managed to kill their fox. 

 Then Curate's Gorse and several other coverts 

 were drawn blank until late in the afternoon, when 

 Mr. Coupland decided to go home. The field may 

 perhaps have misunderstood him, or in a momentary 

 fit of weakness he may have been persuaded to 

 change his mind, but certain it is that only those 



