A CHRISTMAS WEEK IN HAMPSHIRE 61 



hunted five, and if I had had leisure (and horses) 

 could have hunted one more, the other two beino- 

 Sunday and Christmas Day. Of these five days the 

 first showed up a fair hunting run ; the second, two 

 nice gallops ; and the third plenty of fun, although 

 I will not pretend to rank the chase of the carted deer 

 very high among field sports. As for the last two, 

 but for my physical disablement, my diary might 

 chronicle better sport on those, for on each occasion 

 I can only speak to the doings with the morning 

 fox. 



The frost came with the New Year, and I only got 

 three days at its conclusion before my route came and 

 moved me on to 



" Fresh woods and pastures new." 



Except in the New^ Forest, I have hunted but little 

 in Hampshire since. 



