62 HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS. 



worthy foot people. The hounds at last found, 

 about two o'clock, in Hockley Bull Wood, just 

 as everyone was thinking of going home, and 

 away we go at a good pace for Merrylands, 

 Hockley Hall, and to within a field of Plum- 

 borough Wood, then on to a wood I believe 

 called Crab's Wood. Here he laid up in a 

 ditch, but the " little loders " pushed him out 

 and forced him into the open for Hockley Plall 

 Wood, through which they take him at a cHnk- 

 ing pace up wind for Hockley Church, over the 

 road, apparently for Blount's Wood ; but dis- 

 daining its temporary shelter he went (still up 

 wind) for Down Hall, the pack going like 

 hounds should go. From Down Hall he 

 goes over the Rayleigh Cricket Ground, and 

 pointing for Great Wheatleys, but, finding some 

 big hedgerows in that direction, he lays up for 

 a minute. This is a bad move for him as the 

 beauties are on too good terms with our hero 

 for these tricks, so " up you get or I'll make 

 you," says Redwing (or one of the others). Up 

 he gets therefore, in front of the veteran Joe 

 Bailey (the whip) and comes through Mr. 

 Henson's meadow, past the Rayleigh Gas 

 Works, into the road in view of the leading 

 hounds. Here all seemed over, but poor pug 

 had two minutes more to live, for he managed 

 to get through a broken gate and across a small 

 field into a cottage garden ; but not knowing 

 where he was, he turned back, and was killed in 

 the meadow fairly after a run of one hour, four 

 minutes. This turned out to be a fine dog fox, 

 and as good a one as ever was cubbed, and my 



