118 



The season of 1883-4 commenced on Monday, 

 November 5th, at Kirbj Gate, as nsual. There was, 

 as may be expected, a large field out, and many carriages 

 and other vehicles well filled, all bent on seeing as much 

 of the fun as possible. Fortune invariably favours the 

 Kirby Gate meet, and this was no exception, for a good 

 fox was found in Gartree Hill, who went away like wild- 

 fire, at a minute's notice, over the Burton flats, 

 then round to the right by Leesthorpe, Wheathill 

 spinney, and into the shrubberies at Little Dalby, where 

 many of the sportsmen were left, this being such an awk- 

 ward place to get away from on account of the wire 

 fencing which runs around it. Hounds were quickly 

 away, and hunted their fox beautifully back by Wheat- 

 hills, Berry Gorse, and on past Whissendine, thence by 

 Ashwell (having ran within a few fields of !Ranksborough 

 Gorse) to Teigh, where he was rolled over in among the 

 cabbages in a cottage garden, after a really nice run of 

 an hour and twenty minutes. Being a long way in the 

 Cottesmore country, we had a good trot back for another 

 draw. A sharp twenty minutes from Thorpe Trussells, 

 ending the day close to Mr. Chaplin's house at Burrow 

 Hills. 



On Friday, November 16th. — Baggrave Hall. The 

 first time of meeting here since the lamented death of 

 poor General Burnaby. A leash of foxes were in the 

 covert ; hounds quickly killed one, and went away with 

 another — being close at him, they ran, at an awful pace, 

 a ring by Hungerton and back ; then, passing the hall, 

 took us over a nice line of country, by Thimble Hall, and, 

 leaving Twyford on the right, crossed the brook (which 

 brought the usual fun and grief), and then ran pretty 

 direct to Thorpe Trussells, away without dwelling a 



