WITH THE N.F.F.H. 115 



muddy brook, and breast the bank beyond. Scent is 

 rather catchy, and the fox probably some way m 

 front, but the dog-pack is able to get along at a good 

 pace through the holly -covered country facing the 

 Powder Works. Down a stony ride we go, and 

 through Amberwood and Pitt's Wood to Ashley. 

 Now we are on open heather, which presently brings 

 us to the Ditchend Brook, here everywhere negoti- 

 able. On the bank above it hounds check at the end 

 of quite a nice twenty minutes or so. 



There are cattle in front of us, but although the 

 obvious inference is that reynard has run through 

 them, the huntsman makes a couple of side casts 

 before holding them on far enough, and that fact 

 spoils the run. When hounds do hit the line they can 

 only carry it slowly towards Windmill Hill, where the 

 fox has entered cultivated ground. It is only a belt, 

 however, and below the rifle-range we come out on 

 the Forest once more. Skirting Frogham, hounds 

 carry the line down to Ogden's Purlieu, and there we 

 have to abandon pursuit. Whether our fox had got 

 into some drain, or whether he had simply run us out 

 of scent, deponent sayeth not. 



The second day I have in my mind was some two 

 and a half months later. The meet was the furthest 

 these hounds have in the Salisbury direction — 

 Hatchet Green — which perhaps accounted for the 

 smallness of the attendance this lovely February 

 morning. Those who undertook the long journey had 

 their reward. 



It was towards noon that a fox was found in a 

 plantation known as Millersford ; and he promptly 

 went away across Turf Hill by the Butts (which, for 

 the information of those who know not the country, I 



