56 HUNTING AND SPOBTING NOTES, 



hounds were flying towards Coppenhall. Luckily, owing 

 to the eager tallyhoes of these out-posts, our fqx took an 

 erratic course to start with that gradually let up the 

 field ere we reached Coppenhall. Here he made a right- 

 about-face movement, and caused us a slight check, but 

 contrary to such contretemps in general, the pace 

 increased as they hit him off down the hill, and dropping 

 over the fence into the low ground, those only who rode 

 in earnest were able to live with him for the next 

 thirty minutes. The line afforded us plenty of grass to 

 start with, up to Butterhill, and then, circling to the 

 left, we appeared to go round Coppenhall again before 

 we set our faces straight for the Whittimores, which 

 brought us to the end of about fifty minutes from the find. 

 There was just time to take a pull, and a welcome one, 

 before he w^as away again on the Stretton side, making 

 light of the ploughs, and flying on the grass. He must, 

 indeed, have been a strong fox to have attempted this up- 

 wind work after the spin he had given us, and eventually 

 circled round nearly to where he was found, and then back 

 within a field of the Whittimores, over the 

 road, and then left-handed across the London 

 and North- Western Eailway and main Stafford 

 road, down to the Eiver Penk, facing Teddsley, 

 but here his heart and strength were fast failing him, and 

 the bitches were revelling over the meadows. Once 

 again he crossed the road with his face for the home he was 

 never destined to reach, for yonder he was toiling to- 

 wards the railway ; the leading hounds were soon in the 

 same field with him, and he tried hard for the shelter of 

 Dunston Shrubberies, reaching them ten yards ahead 

 of his foes ; one shuffling scramble round these, and he 

 w^as fairly .caught. A fine tough old fox that had given 

 us as enjoyable an hour and forty minutes as anyone could 

 have wished. Plenty of galloping and jumping for every- 

 one, and if it had been straight, would have made a con- 

 siderable line on the map. I can answer for two people, 

 at least, who were pleased with the result — the Master 

 and Mr. Monkton. They claimed an undeniable victory 

 over this tough old customer, that had beaten them all 

 the season. I refrain from being invidious where all did 

 their best ; but at least five ladies rode as only good 

 sportswomen could have done, and two of them, I heard, 

 came from other hunts. A North Stafford grey, too, 



