202 THE ESSEX FOXHOUNDS. 



through Parson's Springs, to the left through Fryerning 

 Woods, and just touched Thoby Wood, on by Fryerning 

 Church, as if for Arnolds, close by Ingatestone, and killed 

 him in the open — one hour and thirty minutes." 



Even better sport came soon. Bailey writes : — 

 " Saturday, December 24th, was the great day ; and 

 one of the best days I ever saw. The meet was fixed for 

 Blue Gates but — I don't know for what reason — it was 

 altered to Four Ashes. We found our first fox in Canfield 

 Hart, came away by Canfield Grange to Hatfield Town, 

 straight through Row Wood by Hatfield Grange, and 

 killed him in the open — one hour and ten minutes. 

 We then drew Man Wood blank, but found a clinker in 

 Herrings Grove, the square covert close to Brick-kilns, 

 came away a screamer straight alongside of Man Wood 

 down the Green Lane, right round the Priory Wood, up 

 close by White Roothing, straight by Barrack, over a nice 

 line up to Waples Mill ; the pace had been a cracker ; the 

 fox was just going out of the Mill dam as hounds plunged 

 in. Straight by Berners Hall they raced as if for Skreens, 

 on to the left, and racing from scent to view, killed him 

 in the flower garden of a cottage by the side of the road 

 before we got to Skreens Lodge, after one of the best runs 

 — one hour and thirty-five minutes — over a lovely country. 



