iS6 ECHOES OF OLD COUNTY LIFE. 



sight to go to Euston station when " The Rothschild " 

 hounds meet in the Vale, or to Paddington when "The 

 Queen's" meet near Slough, and view the crowd of 

 well-dressed men and women who throng the platform, 

 ready to enjoy what they know will be certain sport 

 when they reach the meet ; not always, of course, great 

 runs, but never a blank day. Like other packs of 

 hounds, they may have bad scenting days, or the deer 

 may get on to a turnpike road or railway, and run a 

 mile or so on it. But I have seen as grand a run 

 with the stag over a wild country as I ever have 

 with a fox ; and of one of such runs — the best run I 

 ever saw in my life — I cannot resist from giving some 

 account. 



I rode one bright morning on my not altogether un- 

 known Belzoni mare, as fine a hunter as a man ever 

 could desire, to the meet of " the Baron " at Cublington, 

 about eight miles from Aylesbury. The deer was uncarted 

 and the hounds laid on about 12.30. Not a second did 

 the deer hesitate, but went straight over all the fine 

 grass fields by Aston Abbotts, to the right over the 

 Creslow brook into the noted " Creslow great ground," 

 a magnificent grass enclosure of nearly 400 acres. The 

 brook left at least five-sixths of the field behind, who 

 mostly however overtook the hounds near Whitchurch. 

 " The quarry " then went at a great pace by North 

 Marston and Grandborough over a branch of the Ouse, 

 leaving Winslow to the right, and on to Claydon Woods. 

 Here the hounds were stopped for five minutes, as we 

 had then ridden about twelve miles ; and many of the 

 field left, having had their say. On again went the 



