SEASON 1874-75 69 



went away close at his brush and pressed him so hard 

 that he ran nearly in a straight line to Widmerpool 

 Inn, which was reached in forty-five minutes with- 

 out a check. After heading through Kinoulton 

 Gorse he endeavoured to reach the main earths at 

 Owthorpe borders, but these were fortunately 

 stopped, so he turned away, struggling gamely on 

 to Cotgrave Gorse, and though it looked fifty to 

 one on the chances of a kill, the friendly shades of 

 night threw her pall over the scene, allowing a right 

 good fox to live to run another day. The distance 

 hounds ran was not less than 13 miles, and it was a 

 very severe day for horses, many of the Melton 

 men having to leave theirs out all night in the 

 Widmerpool country. 



Another red-letter day of this season was on 

 January 16th, when a fox was started from Burton 

 Sleighs, the neutral covert on the borders of the 

 Cottesmore country. The line was by Easton, 

 past Swayfield Wood, through Mickley Wood, over 

 Witham Common. The pack raced for fifteen 

 minutes as if they were sighting their fox, but, un- 

 fortunately, by Witham they changed on to the line 

 of a fresh one, who led the way by Holywell, the 

 pace being so good that tired horses were to be seen 

 standing like landmarks all over the face of the 

 country. Although the hunted one was viewed 50 

 yards in front of hounds, he just managed to crawl 

 into Grimsthorpe Park, where he beat them, spoil- 

 ing a fine hunting run that only wanted blood to 

 crown it. 



All through January and February the pack 



