174 Hark Away. 



secretary of the hunt), and a host of gentlemen, well 

 mounted, and looking as if they meant business. 

 Shortly after my arrival, the cart containing " Young 

 Epsom," the stag who was to show us the way 

 on this occasion, appeared on the scene, and a 

 move was shortly made towards a large open field 

 where the sporting-looking animal was uncarted. 

 Lookmg around him for a minute, and having 

 made up his mind as to the line he should take, 

 he went away at a rattling pace across several 

 big fields, and, jumping into the road, disappeared 

 from my view. Whilst the usual law was being 

 allowed him, I had time to notice the hounds, which 

 came up with then- huntsmen, that experienced and 

 thorough sportsman, J. Bently, w^ho, moreover, is a 

 capital rider to hounds as well as a pleasant and 

 cheery fellow. No pack could possibly be in a better 

 or more racing condition, and I am told their per- 

 formances this season have excelled all they have 

 done before ; and at any rate, if appearances go for 

 anything, I should say it was not improbable. 



Time being up, Bently laid his hounds on to the 

 line of the stag, and scarcely a moment elapsed be- 

 fore they picked up the scent and went away at a 

 tremendous pace, over the big fields, and bending to 

 the right, made for Great Bookham ; but, fearing to 

 face the open country in the direction of Leather- 

 head, '' Young Epsom " doubled back and braved the 

 boisterous "wdnd, running for upwards of an hour 

 across the difiicult line of country in the direction of 

 Burford Bridge, being finally taken in the vicinity of 

 Dorking, after a sharp gallop of an hour and a-half 

 from first to last. The pace the Surrey Staghounds 



