1869] THOMAS CEEED, THE KEEPER. 317 



moimtaiu top, and for tliat reawoii. no douht, an avalant-lie at iliis place had 

 never happened in tlie summer, but I tliink it had been started hj a piece of 

 rock breaking off at the top. The Norwegian tokl me that during the 

 previous winter he had been out after reindeer, and eoukl not get nearer to 

 them than 300 yards, but he fired a shot which liappened to kill one of the 

 best of the herd. He gave me the liorns. which are in the hall at Walton, 

 and they carry 42 points. 



HuntiiiiJ" in \Varwick,shire sixty or seventy years a^-o 

 from the diary of a huntsman, prol^aljly "Jack Wood," in 

 his own vernacuhir hmg-uage. 



1829, March l^th, Compton Verne and drod Boshot and not found and 

 then drod Syide Hill, and found. Ijut don nothing with him, it was so di-y, 

 then the Hangings for Frishill, and found and run about there all day l)ack- 

 herd and fourrerds and then cum home. 



March 2.1st Ufton Hous (Ufton House) and drod a patch of gos and found 

 and chopt him; then the new covert But not found, then thorutou Bottoms, 

 but not found, then farnbough (Farnborough) and foimd at the ous, and went 

 for finny cumtom wourf (Fenny Compton Wharf), and ton Burton dasset 

 curch, then to frog Hall farm, then cros they Kiuton rod for tyiso (Tysoe) 

 and killed him, then cum home ; that wos hour ower (an hour and over) and 

 thirty-five minits. a good huntin run. 



March 'loth was to Studley, but did not drou. 



March 'IMh was Coton Park, and not found, But found at ruf Hill, and 

 run him to hullenhill and stop them and cum home. 



March 2Uh (sic) was Spernal Park, and not found, and drod all the 

 woods on to Assom Grove Befour we found, then we dun notliin then cum 

 liome. 



March 2Sth, Midford Bridy and Drod the Heath and not found, then 

 Fork ges and found and went a way over Briels Hill, and stret tohunningtou, 

 then ton Hafford bridge, then tou Muster Shirley's, Heddinton Park, 

 then tou brick bill gos, and then to Oxliill, and to tyeso and kield im in the 

 liice ous at Compton Winnats ; that was tou OAvers and twenti minnits, then 

 cum lioni, un that finished a vere gud seson. 



This diary reminds me of a letter I had when I was at 

 Oxford from my mother's keeper, Thomas Creed (after- 

 wards at Chadshimt and Wroxton Abbey), and a stauncher 

 fox preserver never wore velveteen coat. I wrote to ask him 

 how the pheasants were gettinii^ on at Kineton Holt, and 

 whether there was a litter of cubs. I'liis was the answer : 

 HoNERD Sir, 



The peasants are douing well. The vixon As coubs, Imt a bager As 

 druv them out. I 'ave shot the beast. He Avade 2(31b. 



I am, Sii", 



Your obdiant survent, 



Thomas Creed. 



