202 MEMORIES OF THE SHIRES 



of a good hunter and to have ridden close to hounds 

 through that run, as it is a line I have always 

 pictured in my dreams. 



Both the Cottesmore and the Belvoir had some 

 very good runs that season ; but there was nothing 

 that appealed to me at the time to enable me to 

 remember now. 



The season of 'lo-'ii was extraordinarily open, 

 and all three packs had good sport. It will, however, 

 be indelibly associated in my memory with the runs 

 which the Barkby-Holt customer gave the Quorn. 

 He had beaten Leaf and his pack on several occa- 

 sions ; but on loth February the hunstman had his 

 revenge, and this gallant fox died after completing 

 an eight-mile point. There was only a moderate 

 scent, and in my opinion the hero owed his defeat 

 to having spent his vigour in love-making overnight, 

 so that he was not in the condition to make his usual 

 efforts. Then in the initial burst hounds started 

 away at his brush and gave him a rare dusting for 

 some minutes, which would of a necessity paralyse 

 his subsequent efforts. Yes ! and he was strangely 

 out of luck, for he had managed to dodge hounds 

 after that first burst, and they had even gone to draw 

 another covert, then when the veteran thought the 

 coast was clear some one viewed him, and the pack 

 were again switched on to his trail. 



After that he never had the strength to get far 

 enough ahead of hounds to give him a chance, and 

 though he struggled gamely on it was all to no pur- 

 pose. When viewed below Gartree Hill his weari- 

 ness was plainly evident ; but he kept on for another 

 four miles, and was not caught till he reached 

 Kirby. 



