1888-89] Frank Beers' Diaries. 189 



the left, to Mill Spinney, Fawsley Gardens, across the 

 Park, leaving Badby Wood to the right, over Newnham 

 Brook to Staverton, ran into him within a mile of 

 Daventry, killing him by the light of the moon after an 

 hour and ten minutes' hunting. 21 couple of bitches ; 

 all in at the death. 



''Dec. 26th. — Chackmore. Found in Shalstone Spinney ; 

 away to Westbury, and lost him. Found again at Whit- 

 held Wood and ran to Shalstone, Stowe, nearly to 

 Water Stratford to Shalstone Park ; back through 

 Stratford Hill pointing for Stowe, short to the left, as 

 hard as hounds could go, to Three Parks. Leaving that 

 covert on the left, they ran at best pace to Boycott 

 Manor, through the Gardens by Buffler's Holt, Radcliffe 

 to the left, Tingewick on the right, by Chetwode to 

 Twyford, away by Three-Bridge Mill to the corner of 

 Claydon Woods ; away to Hillesden, and down to 

 Preston Bassett, up to Goddington Mill. When I came 

 up with the hounds some were on one side of the river 

 and some on the other. With difficulty we got them 

 away, it being 5.50 o'clock, and, of course, dark. We 

 could not tell what had happened until next day, when it 

 was proved that the fox had been killed — their fox : he 

 sank, and was fished out next day. This was an extra- 

 ordinary run ; for nearly an hour hounds went capitally, 

 almost in the dark. It was a beautiful starlight night ; 

 no chance of stopping them. We rode by ear, having 

 a capital pilot in a young farmer, Mr. Barge, of Hilles- 

 den, who knew every inch of the country. Had it not 

 been for him we should have left the hounds out. Only 

 Lord Penrhyn, Mr. E. Pennant, myself, and Mr. Barge, 

 were left at the finish. The whipper-ins' horses being 

 tired, they joined us on the road home. We reached the 

 kennels at eight o'clock. 



