The Royal Buckhou7ids. 273 



shaken off a portion of the crowd, Goodall turned 

 out a second deer. This time " Maid of the Mist," a 

 hind that has frequently shown good sport, was 

 uncarted at Shottesbrooke Park, which he crossed, 

 and then made for Lawrence Waltham, ringing 

 about, running into Round Wood, and on to White 

 Waltham, with frequent checks, whilst the enormous 

 number of horsemen pressing on the hounds gave 

 them but a poor chance. A check taking place in 

 the road leading to Maidenhead, and having followed 

 the hounds for an hour and a-quarter, I pulled up 

 and trotted back to Windsor. 



Thus terminated the season of the Royal Buck- 

 hounds, and it is greatly to be regretted that the 

 noble Master should have been prevented by the 

 unfortunate accident that has happened to him from 

 attending this annual festival. It is not expected 

 that on such an occasion much sport can possibly be 

 shown ; and it is simply a parade, resulting in much 

 amusement to the lookers-on. The eccentricity of 

 costume is delightful. One gallant hunter, though 

 booted and spurred in orthodox style, had crowned 

 the edifice with a rink cap made of far ; whilst an 

 enthusiast had mounted a venerable grey cart-mare, 

 which he belaboured most lustily, shouting all the 

 way he went, evidently believing that the correct 

 thing was to halloo like mad when going a-hunting 

 Turning away from the hounds, I trotted back to 

 AVindsor, encountering rain, hail, and sleet, the wind 

 blowing bitterly cold the while. Disconsolate plea- 

 sure seekers were compelled to bend their steps 

 homewards; youths in flannels, bearing bats and 

 bags, had been compelled to relinquish cricket; jolly 



