1891] FINE SPORT. 213 



Again fi*om Oxhill a good fox wont away, and took them a wider ring over 

 the Globe Farm and tho brook, Imck to Mr. Middloton's residence, and away 

 as if for Edge Hill ; a swing to tho right, only about three men really with 

 honnds, and a momentary check in Kirby Field. Here Lord Willoughl)y 

 asked me if I had seen the fox. Did his lordship think that I had been 

 skirting ? I made no answer ; bnt although the skirters, of which there were 

 many, and of which ignoble body pars magna fid kept on cutting in, this 

 l)i-ave fox gave iis all enough to do before he yielded up his bnish. From 

 Kirby Field they ran through Oxhill Gorse, and liack by Oxhill Village. 

 Here (skirting again) I did view him, and thought I should be in at the death; 

 but, although Lord Willoughby lifted Ids hounds here (and even upon them 

 the pace and necessary slackness of coiulition to a certain extent had l)ogun 

 to tell), there was more to be done yet. The gallant old turkey-killer set his 

 mask straight for the hills across the flat meadows, and was not run into in 

 the open till they had reached and traversed the dee]) glades at Compton 

 Wyniates. I piillod up at Tysoe ; but before I reached Kineton the hounds 

 almost overtook me on their way home to kennel, and the welcome intelligence 

 reached me that the slayer of turkeys had taken his last meal. 



This was a splendid day's sjwrt, and Lord Willoughl^y and Sir Charles 

 Mordaunt must have gone home well pleased. Though the run was somewhat 

 circular, and tho riding to hounds somewhat intermittent, there was some 

 good woi'k done by horses as Avell as hounds. The second rmi was timed 

 seventy minutes, and liounds were scarcely cast and only twice lifted. 



RUSTICUS EXPECTANS. 



P.S. — I have just heard that tho Warwickshire had another excellent run 

 on Tuesday afternoon from the Golden Cross Gorse, round Shipston, and lost 

 between Barchoston Spinneys and Edge Hill. 



Lord Willoughby de Broke 's diary : 



February 3rd, Brailes House. — Found at Spencer's Gorse, ran very well 

 as far as Compton Wyniates, and on towards the Dingle, but t^^rned to the 

 left, and ran over tho Tysoe Bottom and along Edge Hill, as far as Bacchus 

 Buildings. Here tho fox ran down into the Yale, and kept it as far as Tysoe, 

 when he came up again and ran exactly tho same ring as l^eforo, and wont to 

 ground above Tysoe. Found again at Hell Brake, got away at once, and ran 

 a clipping pace towards Brailes, but swung to the left, and passed Spencer's 

 Gorse on the right, and went close by Compton Wyniates House, and by 

 Broom Hill Farm, and on past Ej)well to Shutford Clump, the pace up to 

 this time having been good ; svnxng wide, right-handed round Shutford 

 Clump, and went up to Sibford "Village, and on to Swalcliffe Common, where 

 the fox' turned to the left as if ho would go to Traitor's Ford ; l)ut ho turned 

 to the left again, and got on the cold plough, and ran us out of scent near 

 " Tho Gate Hangs High " — ten miles sti-aight from wliero we found him, and 

 seventeen as the hounds ran. Captain Allfroy, Mr. Bouch, Mr. Prichard, 

 and Mr. Whitworth wore amongst the few at the finish. 



February 5th, Long Itchington. — Found at Debdale, ran to Birdingbury 

 Wharf, turned to tho left and got on the grass, and pointed straight for 

 Bunker's Hill, but tho hounds rolled over their fox on tho Ijank of the Loam, 

 just below the covert, after a very pretty thirty minutes. As wo were going 

 back wo were holloaed on to another fox, who took us much tho same line 

 as before at a smart pace back to Debdale, but we unfortunately got away 



