LORD LONSDALE 151 



no doubt made them look neater, but personally I 

 don't like to see a thoroughbred hogged. 



The ground was very hard at the beginning of 

 the season, and before the end of November hunting 

 was stopped by frost. 



Up to this point I have given you the best runs 

 of each season, but from now on I shall pick out 

 the days I remember and enjoyed. 



That was a very good run on 26th January from 

 Gartree Hill to Burley, the fox being killed in front 

 of the house. Hounds ran very fast at times, but 

 it was not a really good scent, and they were often 

 in difficulties. It was yet another feather in Firr's 

 cap. 



Perhaps the fastest gallop of the season was a 

 briUiant burst with the Belvoir from Old Hills, of 

 about twenty minutes. 



Season 1895-1896 



The earlier part of this season was uneventful, 

 and there was a severe frost before Christmas, but 

 with the New Year we had fair sport nearly every 

 day. 



The Quorn had some extraordinary good sport 

 on the forest side, I was told, and a veracious 

 friend who lived in that quarter spun me a yarn — 

 after dinner^ — of a fox who lived under the shadow 

 of a big rock, and when found would leisurely mount 

 the rock, wet his paw, and hold it up to find out 

 which way the wind blew. That is the story, as I 

 received it, but I cannot guarantee it being true. 



I think it was in this season that Lord Lonsdale 

 bought the Brocklesby dog pack, and, bringing 



