COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 205 



he went parallel to the Merton road, Brown and I on 

 the road looking out for him to cross, and the others 

 riding the line. At Ashley Bridge farm he turned 

 short to the left, from the road and towards the farm, 

 probably being headed, and as we turned into the 

 field I expect he crossed the road — -he was then two 

 fields before us — hunted it on through a ploughed 

 field, and he then crossed the road opposite the 

 Merton earths, but passed them on to the village, 

 crossed the road arain, and ran down to the river 

 side. Here we had our first check — one hour and 

 thirty minutes to this point. Soon hit it off, and 

 hunted him back towards the farm-house. Now 

 comes the w^orst part of the story. Morris, my 

 second whip, here came in sight on my left. About 

 six couple of hounds had the line on the left side of a 

 thick double hedge, the rest of the hounds being on 

 the wrong side ; just then Powell came up meeting 

 us, with two couple of the hounds which had been 

 left behind. He saw something move in the hedge, 

 pulled his cap off, and capped the hounds on his side 

 to a hare. " Be quiet," I shouted. In the mean- 

 time Morris had stopped the others off the line and 

 got their heads up. There was a cur dog barking in 

 the farm-yard, and three young hounds ran through 

 the gate towards it from the other side, in front of 

 those that had had the line. They had their heads 

 up and started to join them, thinking there was a 

 view. I got them all quiet as soon as I could, and 

 drew every hedgerow round about for an hour, but 

 could make no more of it. I got a line again over 



