190 GUN, RIFLE, AND HOUND. 



However, for once the combined vocal efforts of the 

 field succeeded in driving our fox from his point, 

 and exactly at the hour he broke over Blounce Farm. 

 At first hounds were able to drive him at a good 

 pace, but the further we went the worse things seemed 

 to get. 



Fencing, of course, in that country there was little 

 or none, but to hound lovers the run was of some 

 interest. Patiently the huntsman and hounds worked 

 out the line, till at last, just as I was beginning to 

 think it was all U P, the huntsman got a view a 

 few fields on, and capped the pack on to it. This 

 changed the aspect of affairs altogether, and at eight 

 minutes past two hounds pulled their fox down in a 

 hedgerow close to Crondall. This was very con- 

 venient for the Aldershot party, who mostly went 

 home. 



The following Wednesday was Boxing Day, and 

 a cheerful holiday crowd had assembled to meet the 

 Chiddingfold at the lofty elevation of Hindhead, 

 where, and in the neighbouring district of Haslemere, 

 I believe, nowadays, a colony of cockneyfied villas has 

 sprung up. 



There cannot be many prettier spots in England 

 for foot-people to see drawn by hounds than the 

 Punchbowl at Hindhead, and this Boxing Day they 

 were clustered in hundreds round its upper acclivities, 

 while hounds worked their way through the gorse 

 and heather below. It reminded one more of Ex- 

 moor hunting than anything else. 



Ere long a fox was on foot and broke away to the 



