144 MEMORIES OF THE SHIRES 



The end of the month brought a return of frost, 

 and with it came Capt. Warner's resignation of 

 the Quorn Mastership. 



Frost had gone by the beginning of February, 

 and I note a very merry spin from Walton Thorns 

 to Prestwold with the Quorn. There was then a 

 general improvement in scent and some fairly 

 good runs ; but from my notes it appears we had a 

 streak of ill-luck, and were continuously just missing 

 having hunts with good foxes by the intervention 

 of the bad. 



The fact of two different packs hunting over 

 the same ground on successive days made me 

 sympathize with the farmer, and inspired some 

 remarks which it may not be out of place to re- 

 produce here. " ... the unhappy occupant of 

 land whereon these two hunts disport themselves 

 deserves our earnest consideration. The Burton 

 Flat is usually the arena for both hunts, and the 

 farmers who farm there may be excused if they 

 get a Httle impatient when, having endured the 

 vagaries of a Quorn crowd one day, they are in- 

 vaded the next by a Cottesmore crush. 



" That mad, headlong charge from Gartree Hill, 

 when the crowd is first let loose and before it has 

 had time to expend any of its bursting energy, is a 

 power capable of doing much damage to the fields 

 and fences. Of course, many of those who come 

 out hunting do not pretend to have a knowledge of 

 the sport any further than is necessary to ensure a 

 good fit for their breeches and the right number of 

 folds for their neckcloths. These are very laudable 

 ambitions, and, when attained to perfection, the 

 results are gratifying to every one ; but some people 



