150 Frank Beers' Diaries. [1876-77 



high timber, which stopped many. I rode Brocklesby 

 and Newgentstown. 20^ couple bitches. 



" Feb. 23rd. — Wappenham. Trotted off to Whistley 



Wood to draw first. Found, after going round the wood 



about twice ; went away along the brookside, to Mr. 



Smith's house at Radstone, turned across the big grass 



fields, towards Halse Coppice, across Stuchbury grass 



fields, over the bottom, straight through Allithorn without 



dwelling a moment, over the brook at the bottom, along 



the valley to Astwell Mill, over the railroad, straight 



to Crowfield ; got headed, so ran one field paralleP 



with the road, nearly to the top of Whistley Wood, 



straight through Whistley, over the brook, as if 



Biddlesden Park were his point, but got headed 



by a plough-team ; he ran to Whitfield Village, and 



then along the brookside, where they gradually crept 



up to him and bowled him over, close to Whitfield Mill. 



Time, just about an hour, and distance done, thirteen 



miles in the open ; about the fastest and best thing I 



have ever seen ; and one of the gamest and stoutest foxes 



that ever stood before hounds, as the pace was terrific. 



I was riding Brocklesby ; he carried me wonderfully well, 



but I rode him almost to a standstill ; when over Allithorn 



Brook, which he jumped capitally, I eased him down the 



road to Astwell Mill, when he got his wind he came 



again, and carried me through this severe run, and was 



first horse nearest to the fox, when he was pulled down, 



out of a large Field. Very few could stay the pace, but 



a few of the riorht sort did their best. We then found 



another fox in Bartlett's Covert (Whitfield Coppice) after 



dodging about there a bit, he went away to Evenly Park, 



through the village to Tusmore, and on to Stoke Bushes, 



round over Cottesford Heath, back to Tusmore, and we 



stopped hounds going back to Stoke Bushes after a fresh 



