H.R.H. Prince Arthur. 265 



H.R.H. Prince Arthur. 



In the season following the one last recorded 

 His Royal Highness Prince Arthur (now Duke 

 of Connaught) paid the Duke of Grafton a visit, 

 and hunted two days with his Grace's hounds, 

 on which occasion I was honoured by a request 

 to attend His Royal Highness in the field. 



On the first day we found a fox and ran by 

 Grimscote Heath pointing for Seawell ; the fox 

 ran along the little brook-side parallel with the 

 wood, until it entered a ravine. I happened to 

 know of a place where one could creep down and 

 get up the bank with a scramble, and this we did, 

 thinking that the fox would go into Maidford 

 Wood. We were no sooner over than the hounds 

 came to us. The Field had to go on some 

 distance in order to get round. Instead of going 

 into the wood as anticipated, the fox ran between 

 Seawell and Maidford Coverts. I shall never 

 forget the Prince's delight when he discovered 

 our advantage. 



The hounds raced for a mile into Blakesley 

 field, where the dry ploughs hindered them, and 

 Beers joined us. Turning left-handed hounds ran 

 on again nicely over the Foxley Bottom and the 

 meeting-field, up to Grub's Coppice, straight 



