296 THE ESSEX FOXHOUNDS. 



to Martin's Hole, where he beat us at dark. A very 

 hard day for horses, as it was a severe run, and hounds 

 had been vainly drawing up to 3.30 without finding". 

 Another pretty gallop we had was from the same covert, 

 and killed the fox in the open near South Ockendon, 

 hounds crossing the best part of the country. We 

 should have probably returned home without blood 

 had not Wilson, then second whip, and now with Mr. 

 Wroughton in the Pytchley country, luckily seen our 

 dead beaten fox crawling down a ditch just as hounds 

 seemed to be baffied. Another good run was from 

 Martin's Hole, one of the Laindon coverts, the fox being 

 killed in the open between Orsett and Stifford. Captain 

 Kemble had good sport from one of the Huttcin 

 coverts to Bulvan village, darkness alone saving the 

 fox's life. Mr. Ashton, though Master of the Fox- 

 hounds for one season only here, had one exceptionally 

 fine run, findinor his fox in InsTrave Thrift, runnino- to 

 Shenfield, thence to Arnold's, through the covert and 

 away to Mountnessing Church ; from there to Brett's, 

 and up to Stock village, through Swan Wood, and 

 from there to Galley Wood, killing him in the open 

 near Great Raddow. Ten miles as the crow flies, and 

 a good bit more as lhe\' ran. 



