Hcmghmond Abbey — A Good Bun. 10 



colours of horsemen and hounds cirding in the foreground. 

 Close by, too, was the counter atraction of Sundorne 

 Coursing Meeting — so near in fact, that the sports seemed 

 in danger of blending. Thatcher's pretty bitches were 

 quite aware that there was something up in the 

 adjoining field, and threw up their heads, and lashed their 

 sterns, as the " too-too " was shouted, and the judge 

 racei after his greyhounds. 



The master gave the word for the Sundorne coverts, 

 which were drawn in a circle from the outside, so as not 

 to disturb the coursing, but were thoroughly irresj^onsive 

 to-day. Holly Coppice was the word, and our hopes 

 grew higher. Scarce half the covert had been drawn 

 before *' Tallyho " at the lower end set us going, and 

 we crossed the High Ercall road jis if for Poynton Springs. 

 It was only a feint, however, for hugging a narrow planta- 

 tion by the roadside, we were soon back over the road, and 

 into Haughmond Hill, past the Tower, and gradually 

 dropping down the hill at the back of Uffington. Those 

 who stuck to the proverbial hill-running propensities of the 

 Haughmond foxes, were thunderstruck at seeing the pack 

 streaming like pigeons across the fields below. Great was 

 the charge of cavahw down that grassy hill, and desperate 

 were the varied attempts of the big field at chosen angles 

 to cut in with the line of chase. I need not draw on your 

 imagination — my readers know well those good square 

 fields of grass and light plough, which border on 

 Upton Magna, and can appreciate the delight of 

 crossing them, as we did, without a moment's cheek or 

 hindrance. On through Withington village, and over the 

 canal the bitches still merrily kept ahead, until they 

 came to the river Tern, close to the withy bed. More than 

 a majority of us wished for a hirn here, but alas, into it 

 they went, and dismay seemed to seize on the pursuers 

 for the next few minutes. Some went to the left for 

 Walcot bridge, others to the right to the Forge ford. A 

 few tried the watery element with varied success. Two 

 only got through loith their horses, while two more per- 

 formed certain gymnastic w^atery tricks, and landed on 

 different sides to their horses. The next precious ten 

 minutes after crossing the Shropshire Union Eailway 

 could only be described by the fortunate couple that held 

 on the line. Just before reaching Charlton there was a 

 slight check, which led up Harry the whip from the left, 



