88 THE ESSEX FOXHOUNDS. 



his huntsman to help a follower of the hunt out of a 

 ditch, because the dismounted sportsman had that morning 

 promised a subscription, and might change his mind. The 

 subscription was duly paid, but when the same gentleman, 

 whose personal appearance was unfortunate, took too pro- 

 minent a place in the field, the Master exhausted upon 

 him a copious store of abuse, with the final threat : " If 

 you persist in riding over my hounds, sir, I'll have your 

 likeness taken." 



Criticism was sharply dealt with by Mr. Conyers, from 

 whatever quarter it came. One very rough morning, 

 seeing that it would be hopeless to draw until the weather 

 improved, he did not arrive with his usual punctuality at 

 the fixture. White Roothing. Two of his largest sub- 

 scribers ventured a mild protest on behalf of the field, 

 assembled in drenching rain. The only reply was an order 

 to the huntsman to draw Avesey, a covert at least seven 

 miles distant, whither the Master drove in his yellow post- 

 chaise. That famous covert was drawn blank, but Mr. 

 Conyers's resources were not exhausted. He had brought 

 with him, in a basket, a fox captured in a pit-fall trap in the 

 warren near Copt Hall. This was enlarged outside the 

 covert and killed in the open after a good run. 



Though Mr. Conyers was a good sportsman, tricks 



