204 REMINISCENCES OF 



and Holland with them. George Drake had fol- 

 lowed me through the farm-yard and then joined the 

 other two. I kept above them. We then crossed 

 the Brill and Bicester road, which only has two or 

 three practical places. I got one above the hounds, 

 and the others had to go to the bottom of the hill. 

 I was still one held above the hounds when they 

 turned sharp to the left, and came up the hill to 

 me, and I was able to stand still for a few minutes, 

 much to the advantage of my horse. Here Tom 

 Lowndes came to me, but we had not much time to 

 spare. They streamed down the hill as if for Boar- 

 stall Wood, but when they got to the road, turned 

 away from it along the road for 200 yards, ' Blossom' 

 and ' Governess ' hunting it beautifully, and again 

 over a little brook and up to Arncot Little Wood. 

 Here the fox ran through a sheep-fold, and was only 

 one field before us, down the rack way through the 

 cut part of the wood, then down the outside on to 

 Arncot Great Wood, where he went into the ride 

 through the gate — one hour and seven minutes with- 

 out a check to this point — up the ride nearly to the 

 top, two Harrisons, Lambton, two Drakes, Lowndes, 

 Holland and myself being then with them, and Mr. 

 Brown of Piddington joined us as we crossed his 

 farm ; then through the top part and away over the 

 hill, never having checked or divided, ' Governess ' 

 leading ; then down the hill to the Arncot river, where 

 they rather ran away from us. When we got to the 

 Ambrosden road I thought he was going for the 

 ruins, and went round by the road. However, on 



