198 REMINISCENCES OF 



Stratton Audley, 1855. — I then commenced to 

 hunt the hounds myself, and very soon got Morris, 

 who had been with the Warwickshire, as second 

 whipper-in, and got on capitally with him to assist 

 me. Morris was invaluable in the great woods at 

 Claydon. On running into the centre ride one day, 

 I said, " Well, Morris, is he over ? " " Four over, 

 but not the right one ; " and while speaking, he says, 

 " Here he comes ". 



I divided the hounds into two lots — black and 

 white. It made almost an equal division of dogs and 

 bitches, and also of ages, and they looked very nice. 

 Once a fortnight we had to meet in the Chipping 

 Warden country (eighteen miles), and it was a 

 troublesome business getting there. The horses 

 went on over nioht ; I drove the van as far as Far- 

 thingho, where we left it. We then rode the leaders 

 across the fields to Chipping Warden, where we got 

 our hunters. The helpers then returned to Far- 

 thingho with the horses we had ridden. After hunt- 

 ing we returned to Farthingho, put hounds into van 

 and made all the men come in and have tea with 

 me. Sometimes the horses did not get home till ten 

 and eleven at night. 



I first began to use a whistle when I took this 

 country. I liked the Bicester country better than 

 any I ever hunted, and I had the best sport I ever 

 had. The fences suited me well, as I could crash 

 through them. There was plenty of grass, but it 

 rode heavy. 



