Presentation to Mr. Wriglit. 37 



presented to Mr. Wriglit, late of Coppenliall, a farmer, 

 who for many years has been a most loyal snpporter of 

 foxhuLting;, has kept a gorse on his farm well preserved 

 for hunting purposes, and has always ridden to hounds 

 in the most orthodox fashion. Sir Thomas did full justice 

 to his theme in a few appropriate words, and a fine old 

 specimen of an English yeoman responded with equal 

 happiness. Three cheers were thoughtlessly given for 

 the master and the recipient of the cup, Vvrhich were too 

 much for the composure of the j)ack (the dogs, by the 

 bye, that I admired very much), for they dashed away 

 from Scott, and made for a worry of the cup ; horse's heels 

 went up ominously, and the whips feared for their 

 charges, but happily no serious damage was done. 

 " Hounds, please, gentlemen ; " it was time to move off, 

 and draw the plantation round the castle, where no fox 

 was at home. A trot to Bury Eing, a mile or so away, 

 soon revealed the fact that foxes were at hand. One 

 raced round the covert, with the hounds in view of him, 

 and if anything pointed to a run this did, as he broke to 

 the west, with the hounds close to him over the grass. 

 Alas, after three fields, it was evident that our hopes 

 were not to be realised to-day, for scent was fickle. The 

 going, too, was not trustworthy. A young lady at the 

 third fence, had a narrow escape, her horse slipping up 

 on landing, and falling quite six yards from the fence ; 

 luckily, however, without rolling over, and, with quiet 

 composure, she never left the saddle ! We now found 

 ourselves close to the Shrewsbury and Stafford Eailway, 

 near Haughton, w^hen he swung round to the right, and 

 they ran merrily for a few fields up wind, between the 

 castle and the covert where we had found him, and 

 crossed the main road, making our spirits rise, as they 

 pointed Coppenliall way, only, however, to see them 

 check again very soon, and our good fox had to be given 

 up near Butterhill. . 



The Whittimores Vv^as the next draw, and a lovely covert 

 this is, quite a gem for any country short of the shires. A 

 gorse, in its prime of growth, lying snugly in the midst of 

 a wide open country, with plenty of hairy fences to make 

 it not quite plain sailing, and a stiff soil to hold a scent. 

 Five minutes sufficed for a challenge, and, in two more, 

 a fox was viewed away on the Penkridge side. *' Now 

 for a gallop at all events," hounds flew to the horn, 



Dl 



