226 THE WAEWICKSHIEE HUNT. [1892 



weight as uotliiug, while Major Little, on his Soudan mare, was rocketing 

 along. Hounds should have left us when we stopped at this gate into the 

 Banbury Road, but fortunately they turned a bit to us, and we went over 

 Herd Hill in company. From here it was a steeplechase over the same line 

 we ran the evening before, only tlie other way, back to the Oakfields, and 

 tlirough into the gorse. Out of this the bitches brought it unaided, 

 and through the Graveyard Spinney, to kill in the Holt. Fifty-seven 

 minutes, and no check till we got back to Kineton Gorse, and then 

 that wasn't really a check, and all in the best of the Vale. We got a line at 

 Knoll End, and ran very fast by Arlescote, and along the Camp Road in a 

 dense mist, where Jem, on Freddy, got to them, and very cleverly stopped 

 them. Mr. Yerney thought of MoUingtou and Watergall, but finally decided 

 on Bawcutt's. It was clear enougli in the vale, and we soon found ; through 

 Gaydon Coppice, over the road past Bedlam Farm, then to the right — and 

 some too clever ones had to jiimp the brook here, with more or less disaster — 

 over the Squire's Ground and the Corner Farm at Chadshunt, through the 

 garden, and up the hill to Bishop's Gorse. Here Mr. Plummer, the leaker, 

 viewed him crossing the narrow ride at the top of the covert. Jack swung his 

 hoi;nds round and hit it off. At Westfield the fox went out at one end of the 

 field as we went in at the other, but he gained ground on us in Lighthorne 

 Rough, and again at rather a long check in the Furzen Close, on Mr. 

 Hanlniry's farm. Jack made a good cast, and hit it off on the brow of the hill. 

 Mr. G. B. Milne was here leading, and doing most of the work, as if we had 

 just Ijegun. We crossed the Kineton and Harlniry road, and the E. and W. 

 Junction Railway, down to Mr. Canning's farm on the Banbury ; then to the 

 left. We got a holloa at Owlington, but he was reported ten minutes ahead 

 there. Hounds, however, ran smartly on down the Vale, and across the line 

 again nearly to Gaydon, where there was another check near the Allotments. 

 They hit off the east side of the road, and ran on to Mr. Griffin's, under 

 Burton Hill, where they were stopped, all the horses having had quite 

 enough — about twelve miles, nearly all in the Vale, and about an hour and 

 forty minutes. At the last, Captain Allfroy, Mr. Wliitworth, Mr. Peters 

 (who had twenty miles to ride l)ack to Barton House), Captain Osborne, Lord 

 North, Mr. Verney and his friend Mr. Campion, Mr. Knott, Mr. Reading and 

 his boy. On the hill near Bawcutt's stood Mr. Follett, Capt. Cowan, 

 Rev. H. Knightley, and .. Rusticus Expectans." 



Lord Willoiighby de Broke 's diary : 



Were stopped by frost from March 1st to the 1.5th, except on one day. 



March 18th, Swalcliffe Parh. — Found at the Sandpit Gorse, ran with a 

 very l^ad scent to Sibford, biit he turned along the grass bottoms, and we ran 

 much faster, leaving Epwell Warren on the right, past Sheldon's Buildings, 

 and on between Winderton and Brailes, and by Castle Hill, just skirting 

 Brailes Village, and down the Vale straight to Honington Village, and was 

 killed ill the park after an hour and thirty-five minutes ; ten-mile point. 



" Ensticus Expectans," in the Field : 



Now strike the golden lyre again : 

 A louder yet, and yet a louder strain. 



Methouglit 'twas hushed for awhile, and liad gone into summer quarters 

 till roused once more by the " echoing horn; " but the Swalcliffe day brings 



