THE EIGHTH DUKE OF BEAUFORT 



seven-and- twenty as hounds ran. The time was 

 three hours and a half, and there was only one check 

 of less than eight minutes. 



The run took place on Wednesday, February 

 22nd, 1 87 1. It may be noted that the Waterloo 

 run also took place in February. The weather was 

 keen, with an easterly wind, and there had been 

 several degrees of frost over night. These condi- 

 tions, it will be remembered, also marked the Billes- 

 don Coplow run, with, 



" The wind in the east forbiddingly keen," 



and the memorable loth December, 1805, 



" When the Duke fixed at Waltham to meet," 



of which Lord Forester writes, 



" The frost was so keen I remember, 

 The horses could scarce keep their feet." 



The Duke of Beaufort himself, however, expected 

 a good day, for he remarked to a somewhat too 

 eager member of the hunt whom he passed on the 

 way to draw : "If you won't ride more forward than 

 you are at present (some twenty paces behind 

 hounds) I think I may promise you something like 

 a good day's sport." By which we may infer that 

 the Duke was very moderate in his demands on the 

 thrusters of his field. 



The fixture was Swallett's Gate. The Badminton 

 coach and the hound van were left at Sutton, and 



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