110 



A FEW GOOD EUNS WITH FEANK GILLAKD. 



1871 to 1878. 



February 15th. — Met at Croxton Park. A large 

 field assembled, and his Grace the Duke of Rutland gave 

 the order to draw Coston Covert ; and no sooner were 

 hounds put into it, than three or four foxes were afoot. 

 One bolder than the rest quickly went away southwards ; 

 the pack was not long in getting away after him, and it 

 soon became evident that there was a scent. Passing 

 just to the left of "Wymondham and Edmondthorpe, at a 

 rattling pace, we bore round for Woodwell Head, which 

 covert this good fox disdained to enter, leaving it to 

 our right hand, and the pace continued first-rate. We 

 were not long ere we reached Gunby Gorse, through it 

 like a shot, and from this point we made as straight 

 as we could go for Morkery Wood, no one going better 

 than the Duke, though there were many more in the front 

 rank. A few fields before reaching the North Eoad, 

 the hounds were in the same field with their fox, 

 and were gaining upon him so fast, that it looked 

 fifty to one upon a kill then and there ; and Custance, 

 the jockey, made so certain of it, he asked me for the 

 brush ; and reynard might have heard the request, for 

 he put on a spurt, and reached Morkery Wood in safety, 

 in which scent was not quite so good, which enabled 

 him to dodge about for forty or fifty minutes ; and as 

 there were fresh foxes seen, it was feared our run one 

 would beat the hounds, but they stuck to him, eventually 

 driving him out away past Mickley Wood to the east 

 corner of Witham Wood. Instead of entering it, this 

 cunning old customer ran along just on the outside 

 until reaching the south corner, and away over the 

 North Eoad by N. Witham, after which we were brought 



