1882] THE RECTOE AND JACK HAVE A DAY. 83 



towanls Oxhill, but turned to the i-iglit along tlio })vook side and made for 

 Brickkiln Gorso. Here there were one or two foxes, and we got away on bad 

 terms with one, and lost him near Pillerton. Found again at Oxhill Gorse, 

 and ran for thirty minutes, without a check, to Walton. A very pretty 

 gallop. 



From this time the names of the horses ridden by the 

 master are not mentioned in his diary. 



November 7th, Barton House. — Found at the Gravels, ran leaving Barton 

 Grove to the right, crossed the brook, and left Wolford Heath just on the 

 right, through tlie gardens at Weston, over tlie brook by Weston Mill, and 

 along the valley, leaving Brailes Hill on the right ; turned to the left by 

 Barchoston, over the Stour, and ran him to groimd near the Golden Cross; 

 bolted and killed him. One hour and twenty -five minutes. 



This was a noted run, and T shall never forget it. I 

 was staying at Barton House, and was acting as master. 

 Jack Boore hunted the hounds for the first time. There 

 were not many out. I remember Colonel Arnold, of 

 Adlestrop, Mr. Evan Prichard, Mr. E. Sheldon, Mrs. 

 Walter Verney, and only one or two more. There 

 were two foxes in the Gravels, and we went away 

 with the vixen. We got rather delayed by the floods 

 when he crossed the Stour and the Shipstou Eoad 

 between Tidmington and the cemetery, and only Mrs. 

 Verney, with Jack and Charlie Lowman, were near 

 the hounds then, while those mentioned above were 

 two or three fields behind. I reduced my old horse, 

 " Brown Tom," to a walk, and when I got up he 

 was in a drain near the old Porto -Bello turnpike. Jack 

 ran up to me very excited, and asked to have him out. 

 " If we stay here all night," I answered. The next day I 

 was out with the Heythrop, and the late Lord Eedesdale 

 said : "I understand, young man, that you dug a fox 

 yesterday. If you dig your foxes in November, you won't 

 have them in February." I answered, " My brother would 

 not have forgiven me, my Lord, if I had sent the hounds 

 home without their fox." They used to chaff me, 

 and say that when I had not anything else to write about 

 in the Field, I always used to put in an account of this run, 

 — W. P. V. 



November ISf/i, Wellesbourne. — Found at Bowshot, ran through Hell 



G 2 



