152 FOX-HOUND, FOREST, AND PRAIIUE. 



advantage, that you may pick them up at leisure after a fall) ; 

 in auger he realised the culpable shortcomings of the road 

 surveyors and their directories ; in spirit he invoked Triviator, 

 the deity of the cross roads ; and, in good humour, he will 

 forgive my recalling an incident that bade me pick up my pen 

 at bedtime lest I lie awake to laugh. 



A tale I have to tell of the Bicester (Sat., Dec. 4th) — if I can 

 but tell it, hampered as I am by knowing little of the country 

 and not a moiety of its field by sight or name. Thenford was 

 the meet, and the source of a run that could boast of an eight 

 mile point and a kill in the open, and that lasted for an hour 

 and fifty minutes. The time conveys no idea of the pace, for 

 the early part of the chase was anything but straight. Hounds 

 went over a great amount of ground, and, freshening to their 

 work as the run went on and as their fox went straighter, they 

 drove him to death in the handsomest fashion. 



The sport began from the very meet, was carried on into the 

 Grafton country, and there continued till the fox was killed and 

 hounds went home. At least three foxes were roused from the 

 willow bed outside Mr. Grazebrook's garden gates ; one soon fell 

 a victim to the popular enthusiasm, but a brace contrived to 

 escape the medley. Hounds swallowed their luncheon speedily, 

 and then took up the line which was to lead to an afternoon 

 meal. But they were not as yet on terms good enough to 

 allow of pace, and the huntsman's assistance came in more than 

 once before they had worked their way round a pretty grass 

 valley to Thenford Gorse, and forward into Grafton territory. 



From Silverstone Village came the fastest and merriest part 

 of the gallop. Stovin held his pack over a passing difficulty, 

 and Avhen again they touched the scent they went into it with 

 a fervour they had scarcely felt before. By a plantation -side, 

 they carried a determined head over stubbles and arable for a 

 mile or so, and fairly flew across the grassy acres beyond. 

 Mr. Harrison showed the ready way into a deep lane in their 

 track, and Mr. Campbell bored a hole out, while Colone 

 Molyneux, Mr. B. Grosvenor, and Lord Suffield went quickly in 



