HUNTING IN ESSEX. 245 



on " would be his cry. Therefore I must proceed to 

 tell how in due time I came up to a big fence with a 

 narrow ditch, which, " if not as deep as a well or as 

 wide as a church-door/' yet was enough to have taken 

 in both horse and rider. A gentle application of the 

 rowels made my young mare go full tilt at the hedge 

 and ditch, over which we landed in good form. Then 

 on we gallop across Howletts Hall Farm, making 

 straight for Navestock Park, pointing for Dudbrook, 

 the seat of Lord Carlingford ; but, turning sharp to 

 the right, we gallop in the direction of Boys Hall 

 Cover, then, bending to the left, go at a rattling 

 pace over Lashes Farm, on to Ditchleys, leaving 

 the Moors to the left, and making straight for 

 Gilstead Hall Covers, finally running up to Weald 

 Hall Park, where we lost our fox after a capital run of 

 rather more than an hour. The ground rode well, the 

 scent was good, and the pace lively enough for the 

 most eager of sportsmen. 



The kennels of the Essex hounds are situate at 

 Harlow, and the country over which they hunt is very 

 wide, extending across a large acreage of grass and 

 ploughed lands around Harlow, Chelmsford, and 

 Ongar, James Bailey, the huntsman, is a recent 

 acquisition; and shows evident signs of being a 

 workman, and has made a favourable impression 

 on the members of the hunt. Sir H. Selwin-Ibbetson 

 is very popular, and evinces every desire to show 

 sport, hunting the country regularly four days a-week. 

 Any real sportsman who may feel disposed to have 

 a look at this useful pack will find ample accom- 

 modation at Brentwood, which is within half-an-hour's 

 run from Liverpool Street by express trains, and will 



