THE EIGHTH DUKE 



Fervent nearly drowned. Halloaed hounds out 

 of the water when the fox sank, and when he 

 rose swam to same bank that we were on and was 

 killed — (young fox). Went to Bowlderidge Break 

 — no find. Newnton Gorse — three foxes. After 

 twenty minutes went away through Bowlderidge 

 Break towards Charlton Park, and bearing to the 

 left, ran to ground on Mr. Pacey's farm. Time 

 from covert, eighteen minutes. Ran fast." 



Indeed it seemed as if the young huntsman was 

 in for a run of luck, for a few days later the follow- 

 ing entry appears in the Duke's writing : — 



" Meet at Draycot at 9 a.m. Found in the wood 

 at the lower end. Warlike (a young bitch of this 

 year's entry) found the fox. Had three on foot 

 at once. After two hours' knocking about and 

 well rattling all the coverts — having nearly killed 

 two foxes and being beat by storm coming on 

 (the day before and till five o'clock p.m. this day 

 it blew a hurricane, with storms of rain) — we went 

 away towards Angrove. The fox would not face 

 the storm. I waited till it was over, and then 

 tried back into the withy beds and gorse at the 

 end of Starkley Marsh. Vengeance began 

 jumping and nearly caught the fox, which Tom 

 halloaed at ten minutes to one. He took a turn for 

 five minutes and then went straight away towards 

 Mr. Wickham's farm, then bearing to the left 

 through Bincombe, without a check, ran nearly into 

 West Park ; bore to the left before crossing the 



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