THE EIGHTH DUKE 



in the covert in consequence of the fox being 

 headed. As I got near him he went away. Hounds 

 taking it heelways gave him three fields start. 

 Ran like the wind into Red Lodge. I got into 

 the green lane to keep him out of the Railway 

 drains. Fox deadbeat, at a walk went away — not 

 having been two minutes in the covert. Blew my 

 whistle, not daring to holloa, and getting out of the 

 lane, followed, and passed him. He laid down till 

 disturbed by a foot sportsman. I never lost sight 

 of him, and stopped him again. Wrangler, who 

 had found him in the gorse, caught him, just 

 as the others were coming up. First part, forty 

 minutes; second, twenty-six minutes; check, six- 

 teen minutes. Total, one hour twenty-two min- 

 utes. 



" As fine a run as could be seen. One hour 

 twenty-two minutes, with but two ploughed fields, 

 and as fast, the whole of it, as it is possible for 

 hounds to run. The work of the hounds this day 

 exceeded anything I ever saw. Their patience in 

 the morning and stoutness in the evening delighted 

 me. Two of this year's entry. Playful and Comrade, 

 deserve all the praise a hound can receive." 



The last day of this season was Friday, April 

 30th, so no May fox was killed that year. 



The hounds were out 147 days, and they killed 

 113 foxes — no bad record. The diary for this year 

 ends with the note : " Twenty-three foxes killed in 

 the open this year. This does not mean foxes 



203 



