THE HUNTING SEASON. 175 



of Frank Beers, a name well known in hunting circles 

 for many a long year past. This is a historic pack, 

 and must be seen to be fully appreciated, but should 

 the sportsman be disposed to try a day with them, 

 and should he perchance drop in with a burst of 

 twenty-five minutes, as I did, he will find it will take 

 all his science to keep in the front rank, however 

 well he may be mounted. The Bicester and Warden 

 Hill Hounds, of which Viscount Yalentia is master, 

 and R. Stovin the huntsman, meet on Tuesday at 

 Charlton Townend, and will give those who visit 

 Bicester, Buckingham, Brackley, or Banbury, an 

 opportunity of riding over some of the magnificent 

 country hunted by this well-known pack. The 

 Blankney, Mr. Henry Chaplin, the well-known sports- 

 man, being the master, and Henry Dawkins the hunts- 

 man, consists of fifty couples of high-bred hounds, 

 and those who visit the sporting county of Lincoln 

 may depend upon witnessing some fine runs. The 

 fixture to-day is Southrey, and though the ground 

 must necessarily be deep after the heavy rainfall, it 

 will not stop the Lincolnshire lads from going the 

 pace. The fixture for Lord Fit zhar dingeys noted pack 

 for this morning is Alveston Ship, and those who visit 

 Berkeley, Dursley, or Thornbury, in Gloucestershire, 

 will see as fine a pack of hounds as can be found, 

 numbering sixty-five and a half couples in all, under 

 the care of Ben Barlow, which show rare sport to the 

 good men and true who follow them over the hills and 

 dales, stone walls, and running brooks of that pleasant 

 county. Those who have sojourned at the celebrated 

 inn known as The Haycock, at "Wansford, in 

 England," will do well to revisit that pleasant place 



