6 HUNTING AND SPOBTING NOTES. 



immortal jumping fame. To tell the trutli, it did not look 

 so formidable as in mid-winter. And with fresh horses and 

 light hearts the majority of the field were soon on the right 

 side, some with scrambles and hind legs dangerously 

 poised, but only one regularly collapsing. 



He was a water-loving fox, for ere lie reached Bletchley 

 village he re-sought the brook, this time close to the hunt- 

 ing bridge, only after having tempted his foremost pur- 

 suers to follow him over it ; and, one field higher, then for 

 the third time he crossed it, and put their jumping powers 

 to a test ere he vanished (we fancy into a sandpit earth), 

 close to the village — for w^e cast for him in vain Cloverley 

 way. Bar the fun of the Losford brook this was a poor 

 hunt, and when the orders were given for Losford covert, 

 as a second call, there were many grave faces at the scent- 

 ing prospects of the day. So much for the fallacy of 

 prognostications ! — a fox was not long in showing himself 

 to be at home. This time he broke away at the top, and 

 swinging to the left, crossed the road near some farm 

 buildings, where the overpressure of horsemen caused 'a 

 momentary uneasiness as to his line. This put right, away 

 he spun merrily as if Hodnet was his point, and then, 

 gradually inclining to the right, gave us the benefit of a 

 fine line of grass with big hairy fences that declined to 

 be trifled with. The field, as it invariably does, divided 

 — those on the left included the huntsman, while the right 

 hand division was more select, and as it turned out, most 

 fortunate. An out-lying fox from a marl pit deluded the 

 left hand men, while those on the right were sailing away 

 in Elysian fields, only to be brought to a halt by the park 

 fence at Hawkestone, luckily close to a lodge. On, on flew 

 the hounds, like pigeons, though the park and j)ast the 

 house, up to the rhododendrons above the cliff. Twenty- 

 five minutes of real galloping, and not more than seven 

 enjoying it to the full. Had scent served here he must 

 have fallen a victim, as he dodged ibout to gain breathing 

 time, and eventually scrambled into a rocky haven near 

 the grotto. By those who saw it this was voted a nice 

 thing. 



The afternoon produced still further fun in a spin fi'om 

 the Lower Heath to Soulton Wood, where, as usual of late 

 in cover, scent failed. In fact, we must not expect to have 

 a scent in covert until the leaf is laid by snow, or some 

 heavy downpour. 



