78 THE WAEWICKSHIRE HUNT. [1882 



"article in the Badminton Magazine, November, 1895. I 

 remember his saying to me directly afterwards, that he 

 thought it the best gallop he had ever ridden to. I have 

 an interesting letter from my valued correspondent, Mr. 

 Frank Wedge (" Beetle " in Land and Water).— ^ , E. V. 



Strettou-ou-Dimsmoor, Rugby, 



November 10, 1895. 



Dear Mr. Yerney, — I have just read with the greatest interest your 

 ))rother*s excellent letter on foxhunting in this mouth's Badminton Magazine. 

 On page 435, however, 1 think Lord Willoughhy, upon reference, lias made a 

 mistake as to the date of the ripping short ruu from Ladbroke Gorse, which 

 he refers to. It was my privilege, on a good seasoned hunter of a friend's, 

 and I have always looked back upon it as by far the best and most dashing 

 scurry I ever witnessed. On reference to my diary . . . the date of the 

 run should be February 2, 1882, not 1881, as printed in the Badminton. 

 How Jack Boore did dash along on that little brown. I can ride the run again 

 now in memory ! We had hardly time to go straight at our fences, but 

 turned as hounds did with their fox, and took the leps at such an angle as 

 Providence and a determination not to lose our places dictated. I tliink Jack 

 Boore had a wee bit the best of it, but Lord Willoughby, poor Gilly Leigh, 

 Captain Hunter, of Hunningham, and one or two more, were very handy. 

 The latter, I remember, crossed me (unintentionally) at the brook, and I 

 thanked my stars I wasn't on one of my own raw youngsters, for Shell's old 

 chesnut took it " skewise " as well as if he had been fairly ridden at it. That 

 gallop, and a ruu from Braunston Gorse with the Pytchley years ago, are the 

 two last things 1 should like to dream of in my declining years, if I could 

 have my way. 1 find my diaries the best physic to take Avlien things are 

 wrong, and have always lined the best days with red ink, so as to jump over 

 the bad ones. 



Yours very truly, 



Frank L. Wedge. 

 Lord Willoughby de Broke 's diary : 



February '3rd, Sliutford. — Found at Sliutford Spinneys, and away close to 

 a fox, and ran over Sliutford Clump as if for Broomhill Gorse, but turned to 

 the right, and went by Sugarswell to Upton Gardens, and killed after a nice 

 forty minutes. Found again in some planting near Sibford Heath, and had a 

 very fast ring- all round Sibford, and nearly to Winderton, and ran into him 

 on Sibford Heath after one hour and twenty minutes. 



February dth, Coughton Court. — Found in Coughton Park, and killed 

 directly. Found another, and ran him very pretty to Rough Hill, over the 

 road, and killed in Ncav Coppice. Found again at Three Oak Hill, ran 

 without a check for an hour and ten minutes, and killed in the open in tlie 

 middle of the Worcestershire country. Very good scent, and a wonderful 

 good day's sport. Rode Bulrush and Ballynegall. 



February 17th, Swalcliffe. — Some scoundrels have poisoned the covei-ts 

 near Banbury, and we were obliged to go the other way. Drew Shutford 



