FOXHUNTING IN EARNEST. 187 



veils of thorns (I mean the Fawsley doubles) — possible routes- 

 that seemed to have no existence while the screen was in all 

 its pristine density of leaf. But this may, after all, have been 

 but the passing fancy of a fugitive bold in the presence of a 

 line of gates. We were not obliged to jump anything. And 

 nobody has yet come down from Hanwell to ride over the 

 Fawsley fences for a lark. A circle to the Hall in question 

 completed the gallop, and a dying scent afterwards flickered 

 out 'twixt By field and Griffin's Gorse. 



Wednesday, Nov. 24, brought a multitude truly enormous to 

 hunt with the Pytchley at Misterton. Tis difficult to suppose 

 that even Christmas can make the many, more. For whence 

 are they to come ? The settlers are all at their cabins of 

 comfort ; and already the L. and N. W. R. finds its stock of 

 horse-boxes inadequate. (This was I informed, when sentenced 

 to a twenty-mile ride this morning.) The meaning and applica- 

 tion of the term " spring captains " has never been adequately 

 explained to me. Certain am I, at any rate, that it has no^ 

 significance whatever in these improved times. For, besides 

 the locals and the Leamingtonians, a large majority of the 

 weekly pilgrims on the iron road are, at this excellent season 

 of the year, men-at-arms, bent on maintaining due efficiency 

 in the most important section of their training, to wit, the 

 exercises of horsemanship and foxmanship. 



If omen, augury, and the rudiments of Rugby-teaching avail 

 anything, surely your rejDresentative penman had every reason 

 to anticipate with some certainty a day of happiest event. To 

 me — but I may adapt the poet still closer, and if my translation 

 seems inapt, just borrow a Horace, or, if you like, ask Mr. 

 Smart's assistance with his English version of Satire IX., Lib. 1 

 — then ride your hunter to covert for a score of miles along Dick 

 Turpin's Roman Road, being careful to follow it through the 

 Crick fields. " I bam forte Watling-strect " (a wholly unex- 

 pected treat). To me there appeared no corvus sinister, but 

 a whole flight of noisy merry rooks on my right hand amicably 

 escorting the quaintest companion that ever winged it over 



