112 HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS. 



back to the days of Mr. Scratton, and giving an 

 excellent note supplied by my good friend, Mr. 

 Coverdale, who I believe is the oldest member 

 of the Union Hunt, and which I feel sure will be 

 read with keen interest ; and the account of the 

 Temple Grove run ought not to be left out of 

 this record. 

 Saturday, December 21st, 1861. 



Galleywood (Chelmsford) Racecourse. 



A large field of over 1 50 to meet " The 

 Squire of Prittlewell," and the " lively ladies." 

 Drew Moulsham Thrift and found no fox, 

 though there was a line in it. Next, a grove by 

 the side of the Racecourse, then Temple Grove, 

 here one of the stoutest foxes that ever stood 

 before hounds was at home and off in a second. 

 Setting his head at once due south, he seemed 

 to have a stiffness of neck that prevented his 

 looking right or left — true as a needle to the 

 North Pole was he to the South Pole — leaving 

 Stock Ship on his right he " slashed " through 

 the narrowest part of Blue Hedges, crossed an 

 off-shoot of Pandam, and went straight to Cock 

 Wood, apparently his point from the first ; clear 

 of it, he bent slightly to the left (the only bend 

 in his course) appearing to mean Moor Gardens, 

 but disdaining even that refuge he sunk the hill 

 by Downham Church, and faced that splendid 

 valley to the south without a covert for shelter 

 between him and the Thames. Fifteen minutes 

 more racing, and Grays Hill was at hand. 

 " Yonder he goes," cried a leading horseman, 

 and there he was, not two fields ahead, strugg- 

 ling gallantly on. Crossing the Wickford Road, 



