76 WARWICKSHIRE HUNT. 



THE EPWELL HUNT 3 OR BLACK COLLARS IN 

 THE REAR. 



BY EDWARD GOULBURN, ESQ. 



' A chosen few 

 Alone, the sport enjoy,' 



As EpwcU's wide Heath 1 t'other day I passd over. 

 The hounds, I pcrceiv'd, were then trying the cover ; 

 Enraptur'd I heard them, and spurring my horse. 

 Soon discover'd the pack, which had found in the gorse. 



Two hundred gay Sportsmen enhven'd the scene. 

 All determin'd to ride, and professedly keen, 

 Tho' the morning was cold, and the frost overnight 

 Made the country around in terrible plight ; 

 Yet reynard broke cover, disdaining to stay. 

 And in view of the Field went bravely away j 

 But a bad country took, much against all their wills. 

 And led them a dance o'er some heart-breaking hills. 

 Then fled to some furze, and kept dodging about. 

 Till Wanton, good bitch, drove the vagabond out. 



Thus routed, his foes he determin'd to face. 

 And again took them off at a rare splitting pace, 

 O'er a strong and stiff country went forward in style. 

 With the hounds at his brush, in full view for a mile ; 

 Was next seen in a bottom, and then headed back. 

 And whilst climbing the steep fell a prey to the pack. 



1 The Epwell Himt was written in the year 1807, but we have 

 not been able to ascertain the precise time. The hounds met in that 

 year at Epwell, on November 14th and December 7th, and the run 

 must have taken place on one of those days. — venator. 



