HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS. 23 



Grove, which turned out blank, but that is not 

 so much a matter of surprise, considering that it 

 is very narrow — only about three acres in extent 

 — and a footpath running through the middle. 

 It is the only cover in the neighbourhood, how- 

 ever, so a find is generally looked upon as pretty 

 certain this time of the year. We then move on 

 to a field of cole seed adjoining, where the 

 hounds found immediately, as that " fine speci- 

 men of the old English yeoman " (Mr. Cross) 

 assured us we should. Now then " all you des- 

 pairing souls," harden your hearts and look out 

 for the blind fences, for you are in for a good 

 thing! The fox soon makes up her mind that 

 her only safety depends on flight ; so betakes 

 herself off without a moment's hesitation, point- 

 ing for Butler's, the residence of that good fox 

 preserver, Mr. Perry. Crossing his land, she 

 sets her mark for Shopland, then towards New 

 Hall, Sutton, giving the field a taste of timber, 

 in the shape of a five-barred gate or two, which 

 are safely negotiated by Mr. Charles Tabor (on 

 his clever hunter), closely followed by Miss 

 Tawke. This brings us to the Prittlewell, 

 Sutton Brook, where our gentleman, who 

 has been going well, had a morning's bath in 

 company with his four-footed companion. 

 Fortunately, no serious harm came of it, but 

 neither came out of said bath much the cleaner. 

 If I were they I should not get in again, cer- 

 tainly not before it was cleaned out ; even then 

 I should rather object. But I am wasting time. 

 Hounds are going hard, and cross the road not 

 far from Halfway House, and on to Mr. James 



