70 HUNTING REMINISCENCES 



ran hard and straight day after day, accounting for 

 their foxes in capital style. Amongst these good 

 things was the fast spin of thirty-five minutes from 

 Elton Manor, ending with a kill in the open ; and 

 again from Leadenham, when hounds were running 

 for two hours from fox to fox, being stopped at dark 

 with all the horses reduced to a trot. A fine run 

 of one hour and thirty -five minutes occurred from 

 Nightingale Gorse, ending with a kill in the middle 

 of Syston Park. The first forty -five minutes of this 

 gallop were accomplished without a check. On 

 February 13th, from Stoke, hounds had a very hard 

 day, running incessantly for six hours, and at last 

 three and a half couple slipped away, ran their fox 

 into Grantham town, where he was captured 

 by some boys, but died before hounds could get 

 hold of him. Great sport was supplied from 

 Goadby Gorse with a fox who led the way at a 

 terrific pace in the direction of Melton Spinney, 

 changing his course for Stonesby Ashes, ending 

 with a mark to ground in Buckminster Park. 

 Foremost of a large field was Major W. Longstaffe, 

 mounted on one of Mr. George Drummond's stud. 

 Captain Riddell, Mr. Samuda, Colonel the Hon. 

 H. H. Forester, Captain the Hon. H. H. Molyneux, 

 and Mr. Corbett Hollands. There were few more 

 ardent followers of hounds than Captain Riddell, 

 the gallant ex-officer of Lancers and most accom- 

 plished horseman. Gillard tells a story of how on 

 one occasion in a good run the field got pounded, 

 until Captain Riddell saw a gate in the corner 

 which he soon had off its hinges, letting him into 



