HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS. ii 



was known in the district. Mr. Lucas, of 

 Basildon, entertained the Field to luncheon, and 

 shortly afterwards a deer was enlarged just 

 below Grays Hill, taking a line through 

 Ramsden Bellhouse to Wickford (when one 

 remembers that in those days there was no 

 railway, no poultry farms, and no wire to inter- 

 fere, what a country that must have been to ride 

 over). Leaving Wickford on the right, over 

 the brook to Runwell, straight away by Retten- 

 don on to Woodham, there he turned, and 

 returning over Hyde Hall to Rettendon, on 

 through Hanningfield, by Crows Heath, to 

 Ramsden Heath. North of Forty Acres he 

 turned southwards to Mepes Hole. On again 

 past Grays Ghurch, Great Burstead Ghurch, 

 Little Burstead, over Bottledown Hill, through 

 Blind Lane Shaw — by this time the field was 

 uncommonly select — on and on he goes. Two 

 wheat stacks nearly brought the run to a close. 

 The Park was his point, and away once more 

 over Heron Pond, Lapwater Hall, Ingrave 

 Hall, the Dairy Farm, by Hangman's Lane, and 

 into Thorndon Park by Lion Lodge, Warley 

 Gap. Mr. Offin was the only one left, and still 

 this never-ending run seems as though it will 

 never finish. A race between the horse and the 

 deer, I expect there was not much pace left 

 in either, but the game is not up yet. Back by 

 the Dairy Farm into the Park, out by the 

 " Spotted Dog," Herongate, into the fence they 

 floundered, but the struggle was not over, and 

 once again the deer made an effort to escape, 

 and the next thing that occurred was Mr. Offin, 



