184.> 



THE HILLMORTON Rim. 



167 



a covert, thev had to l)e got aAvav from it with a hiro-e 

 field out. Many of the field may have thus heen taken 

 (piite unawares, and, not gettmt)- a start, never caught 

 the hounds. There can be no doubt that the great 

 i-uu lasted about fifty minute.s, up to the first check 

 on the Hemplows, and that the time of one hour and 

 twentv-five minutes in Stevens' diary was taken up by 

 the pack running this stout fox again from the hills, 

 iu the direction of Stamford Hall and Welford and 

 back again, 1 efore killing him. I remember Mr. Barnard 

 telling me several years afterwards, when 1 was first out 

 hunting, that this was the best 'run the Warwickshire 

 hounds had during liis mastership, and it was over about 

 the finest country in Kngland, and over so wild a line of 

 country that Yelvertoft is the <mly place marked on the 

 ( )rdnanee map between Hillmorton and the Hemplows. 

 'i'lie distance between these two points is seven miles 

 straight. The head of the fox was preserved for many 

 yeai's in the Muniment room at Conipton Verney.— C. M. 

 In those days there certainlv were 



.SOME BOi.n KIHKKS. 



