72 MEMORIES OF THE SHIRES 



difficult it appears, but there is no doubt Leicester- 

 shire gives better results when very wet. 



Lord Manners came into office at the beginning 

 of the dry time, and scent was very moderate during 

 his first season, with only a slight improvement in the 

 second. Some people may think that the showing 

 of sport should be a master's chief consideration, 

 but to my mind his first duty is to preserve har- 

 monious relations between those who hunt and the 

 occupiers of land. 



Although this ('84-'85) was considered very 

 moderate, I come to the conclusion, after going 

 through my old Field accounts, that it was much 

 better than many we have had of later years. No- 

 vember was a particularly good scenting month, 

 and there were some first-class runs. On the 6th 

 of that month the Quorn had an exceptionally nice 

 run in the afternoon from Barkby Holt over an 

 ideal bit of country, but not very straight. About 

 five-and-forty minutes, beginning not too well, 

 but the pace increasing at every field and hounds 

 running into their fox at the finish. The following 

 day the Cottesmore had a brilliant twenty-five 

 minutes from the Long Spinney, going through 

 Burbidge's, skirting Melton, and killing near the 

 railway short of Sanham. 



I have a vivid recollection of the next Monday 

 with the Quorn, and as I recall various incidents 

 of the run, I begin to wonder if the foxhound of 

 to-day has the working and scenting qualities of 

 his ancestors. On this occasion I remember being 

 filled with admiration at the hounds' performance. 

 In the earlier part of the run they raced along with 

 the dash and drive for which they were celebrated, 



