192 THE WAEWICKSHIRE HUNT. 1840 



Horses were beaten to a standstill long before the finish. 

 Stevens rode the Dutchman and Tom Browne, but he had to 

 boiTow a I'ariiier's horse before the fox was killed, 



•27th and 'l\)t]i. — Wort' stopped by an oarly frost.* 



rt is remarkable to notice in the whole of Stevens' 

 diary what a few days they were stopped by frost durin"- 

 nine years. 



We have often heard Mr. Barnard say that " hounds 

 could onl}^ run in Warwickshire when the water splashed 

 up in the farrows." It was a sort of cycle of wet, damp 

 seasons. On wet days, however, Stevens often records that 

 there was no scent. Probably many good runs were seen 

 on fine days with a rising barometer, when the country was 

 thoroughly ^vet through by previous rain. 



30t]i Charcli Tijsoe. — Found in the Warrin & ran aboute a hour & Inmted 

 him to Sibford & gave him up Drew Lampit Spiny & Nell gorse blank 

 ■\vas Hollowed a fox frome Wigington Heath & ran to Hook Norton to ground 



under the road Drew the Heath Blank Found in and ran a ring 



into Swacliffe village & round by tlie ozier bed & mill by Wigington lieatli Si 



Hook Norton Lodge to Lampit gorse & to and to Swerford Park 



to round 1 liour l^ 25 minutes. 



From the Leamingtou Courier, Dec. 1st : 



Tlie annual dinner of the Warwickshire Hunt Club took place at tlie 

 Warwick Arms on Friday. Nov. 24th. The respected master, R. J. 

 Barnard. Esq.. occupied tlie chair ; C. B(jlton King, Esq., undertook tlie duties 

 of tlie \'ice-chair. Amongst those present were Lord Guernsey, M.P., 

 Viscomit Villiers, tlie Hon. W. H. Leigh. Hon. C. Finch, Rev. J. Lucy. 

 Messrs. Wise. Mark Pliilips, Parker. H. W. AUfrey, Gladstone, Darwin 

 Gallon. Cowan, Earle. Sheldon. Arkwriglit, Ramsay, Clark, &e. The 

 question of removing the Hunt Ball from Stratford-on-Avon to Warwick 

 was disciTssed, when, a difference of opinion arising, the question was put to 

 tlie vote. A majority of twelve to eight decided in favour of the county 

 town. The reason given for the alteration being the extreme eligibility of 

 the county hall for the purpf)se of the assembly. The Ball was fixed for 

 Jan. 16th. 



Stevens' diary : 



December ith Weston House. — Found 2 or 3 foxes in Witchford wood &. 

 Hunted one a ring by the Combs & over the hill by over Bury Field 



* "Cecil" say.s : " This was a bad season generally; there was a considerable 

 quantity of frost. It is a general opinion, if the scent has not been good, and a frost 

 commences, that it will improve afterwards ; but I do not find that the opinion is 

 borne out by facts" [p. 365, 1854 Ed.]. I must say I agree with the general 

 ■opinion, and not with " Cecil," especially if rain succeeds. — W. R. V. 



