62 HUNTING AND SPORTING NOTES, 



Of hunting there is plenty to be said — such a fine week 

 for scent and weather, the season has not vouchsafed to us 

 hitherto. 



Sir Watkin and Mr. Corbet have had the best of it, 

 although the Shropshire are not quite out in the cold. 

 On Monday, Sir Watkin met at Whittington, and, after 

 indulging in a short sco-mper from Colonel Lovett's covert, 

 a good fox was put going from Halston, close to the 

 ■entrance gate. Shades of Mytton ! how ii would have 

 rejoiced his daring heart to have seen what followed. An 

 awkward start almost always from Halston — the brook 

 surmounted, there is the canal close at hand — then, nice 

 sound grass, and to-day it is uphill work to catch hounds 

 at St. Martin, and past Frankton on the right, leaving 

 Cricket on the left, to Hardwicke. Just a passing call, 

 and they wheel to the left down to the boggy brook, as if 

 Duke's Wood was their point. Not to-day, however, 

 wonderful to say, for, after passing EUesmere town on 

 their right, they pay a visit to Oteley — whose owner still 

 sadly laments his autumn accident — then, with a 

 diminished scent, carry on over the Cambrian Railway 

 nearly to Welshampton Station before crying a go. Those 

 who know the line will appreciate its fine wild qualities, 

 covering nearly twelve miles, and only wanting blood to 

 seal its excellence. 



On this Monday, the Shropshire met at Peplow Hall, but 

 had to come across the Market Drayton railway to find a 

 fox at Morgan's Pool, who took them sharply through 

 Wythiford Wood, and on a good line to Shawbury, then 

 slowly to Acton Reynald, where scent and the fun ended, 

 and no second fox could be found. 



I am again indebted to a friend for an account of Mr. 

 Corbet's grand day on Tuesday, the refrain of which 

 appears to be " ware coffee-housing." 



''Tuesday, South Cheshire at Brown's Bank, near 

 Audlem. A fox was soon found in what is now known as 

 Lord Hopetoun's covert, close to Brook's Mill, and within 

 a stone's throw of the meet. Getting well away with 

 their fox, the hounds crossed over the brook and ran 

 nearly up to Newtown Rough, but leaving that snug 

 covert to the right, they ran down to the meadows below 

 Audlem Station, and over the ri^er Weaver ; ringing again 

 to the left, they ran through Brookes's Mill, over the 

 l)rook and up to Newtown Rough ; then nearly up to 



