1876-77] Frank Beers' Diaries. 149 



'' This has been the wettest season 1 ever remember, 

 and had more snow than usual. The country extremely- 

 deep all the season, and quite as deep, if not deeper, at 

 the end as at any part of the season." 



April 2oth, 1876. — Finished. Tom Smith, first 

 Avhip ; Ed. Cole, second whip. 



1876-77. 



1876. Aug. 28th. — Began cubhunting ; out thirty-nine 

 days, killed fifty-two foxes. 



Nov. 13th. — Stowe-Nine-Churches, first day of regular 

 hunting. A long ringing cubhunting day. 



1877. Jan. 17th. — Gayton. Found at Ashby's, ran 

 to Blisworth Station, past Milton Ham, and Ladybridge, 

 up to Wootton House, across Delapre Park, and killed 

 him in the covert on the top-side of the Park. 



'' Feb. 2nd. — Whistley Wood. Found, and with a bad 

 scent in covert, we were ringing there for half an hour, 

 at last went out of covert, a capital scent, they raced 

 along as straight as they could go, over the stiffest line, 

 leaving Halse Coppice to the left, to Greatworth, back 

 down wind leaving Radstone to the left, over the Whit- 

 field Brook, which I got into, and a lady nearly on the 

 top of me ; only one other rode at it, Mr. Campbell, he 

 got over. We had our hunted fox beat before us, just 

 before we reached the Bracklev road, where three foxes 

 jumped up in view of the whole pack, and away they ran, 

 best pace, over the Whitfield Brook, through Whitfield 

 Coppice to Biddlesden, back to Shalstone, Westbury, 

 back to the Wild, and lost him. 



*' Drew Whitfield again blank. Had we killed our fox 

 this would have been a clinker and no mistake. I never 

 saw hounds run harder, or horses made such an example 

 of. Mr. Campbell went best, jumping some tremendously 



