94 THE ESSEX FOXHOUNDS. 



scenting days, the Squire used to take his hounds great 

 distances out of their intended draw in order to hunt 

 him. Mr. Conyers used to say that he would have given 

 one hundred guineas to l^ill this crafty fellow ; but, 

 unlike Mr. Meynell under similar circumstances, he would 

 not take advantage of the fact that the fox always 

 returned to Row Wood on the same night after being- 

 hunted. At last the fatal day came. His stealthy 

 retreat towards home was noted by a sportsman who 

 had been thrown out in the run ; hounds were holloaed 

 on to his line and ran into him. 



Another good run, which took place in February, 

 185 1, was described in doggerel verse, by a rhymester who 

 told how — 



On Saturday week, at the Willingale meet, 



A large field assembled for no common treat. 



The Lord and Fred. Petre, from Hertfordshire some, 



And many who had a long distance to come ; 



Colvin, Tufnell, and Woodbridge, besides many more, 



Whom I had not the pleasure of seeing before. 



'Twas as cheerless a morning as ever was seen, 



With the wind from the east most forbiddingly keen. 



We found him at Barnish, a quarter past two ; 



He was off like a shot, the hounds all but in view. 



One twang of Will's' horn — but ere that blast was blown. 



The fox across fifty broad acres had flown. 



' Will Orvis, the huntsman. 



