136 



or three practicable places. I got one above the hounds, 

 and the others had to go to the bottom of the hill. I 

 was still one field above the hounds, when they turned 

 sharp to the left, and came up the hill to me, and 1 was 

 able to stand still for a few minutes, much to the 

 advantage of my horse. Here Tom Lowndes came to 

 me, but we had not much time to spare. They streamed 

 down the hill as if for BoarstoU Wood, but when they 

 got to the road, turned away from it- along the road for 

 two hundred yards. Blossom and Governess hunting it 

 beautifully. On again over a little brook and up to 

 Arncot Little Wood— here the fox ran through a sheep- 

 fold, and was only one field before us ; down the rack- 

 way through the cut part of the wood, then down the 

 outside on to Arncot "Great Wood, where he went into 

 the ride through the gate — one hour and seven minutes 

 without a check to this point. Up the ride nearly to 

 the top, two Harrisons, Lambton, two Drakes, Lowndes, 

 Holland, and myself being then with them, and Mr. 

 Brown, of Piddington, joined us as we crossed his farm ; 

 then through the top part, and away over the hill, never 

 having checked or divided. Governess leading them 

 down the hill to the Arncot river, where they rather ran 

 away from us. When we got to the Ambrosden road 

 I thought he was going for the ruins, and went round 

 by the road ; however, on he went parallel to the Merton 

 road. Brown and I on the road looking out for him to 

 cross, and the others riding the line. At Ashley Bridge 

 farm he turned short to the left from the road and 

 towards the farm, probably being headed, and as we 

 turned into the field I expect he crossed the road — he 

 was then two fields before us. Hunted it on through a 

 ploughed field, and he then crossed the road opposite 



