1870-71] Frank Beers' Diaries. 117 



Grub's Coppice, after going into the gorse a time 

 or two, away at a rattling pace, leaving Foxley 

 Mill just on the right, Blakesley on the right, up the 

 grass fields pointing for Bradden, through Woodend, 

 straight through Plumpton Wood, pointing for Canons 

 Ashby, leaving Gomeral's Holt on the right, to Weston 

 Village, leaving it on the right, and away pointing for 

 Oakley Bank, turned to the right through Weedon 

 Village, pointing for Allithorn, but turned to the left 

 along the meadows at a killing pace ran into him in 

 Weedon Bushes, about 55 minutes in the open, the 

 fastest I ever rode to in my life ; only myself and young 

 Austin Johnson with the hounds. 18 couples. I rode 

 Cheerful ; carried me capitally. 



" Dec. 14th. — At Tile House. Found a fox, and went 

 away to Dadford. Found another at Stratford Hill ; 

 they ran to Chackmore to ground. Found again at Fox- 

 cote Wood, ran away to Wicken ; lost him. Found 

 again in Wicken Spinneys, they ran hard for 30 minutes 

 and killed him in Leckhampstead Wood. Went away 

 with another, leaving Lillingstone Dayrell on the left, 

 Tilley's on the right, away across Luffield Abbey grounds 

 to Hatch Woods ; short back same line, and stopped 

 the hounds at Tilley's House. The fox doubled back 

 into the wood, only just before them ; but it was dark, 

 and all the horses tired. I never saw hounds go faster, 

 all the way best pace. 18 couples bitches. Rataplan 

 and Ensign. 



1 87 1. Stopped by frost from igth Dec, 1870, to 

 i6th Jan., 1871. 



"Jan. i8th. — Castlethorpe, 12 o'clock. Found in 

 Gayhurst Wood, Linford Wood blank. Away at a 

 capital pace to Salcey Forest, lots of foxes soon on foot, 

 ran from fox to fox, at last ran one to ground under the 



