104 HUNTING AND SPOBTING NOTES 



its brandies. The finest turf, a beautiful natural country 

 for steeplecliasing, and splendid stands, all within a stone's 

 throw of the town, and central for railway and roads. 



Hunting has flickered through another week, and its 

 dying embers must be as carefully swept up, and as 

 tenderly cared for, as its first opening flames were 

 nurtured. 



Sir Watkin, at Woodhill, resolved on a hill day, but, 

 after chopping a fox and being thoroughly starved, 

 second thoughts proved best, and As ion Gorse was 

 sought. Here ills accumulated ; its popular owner, 

 ignorant of the afternoon's intentions, was absent, and a 

 dead fox was found, so the day ended as inauspicously as 

 it began. A post-mortem revealed the fact that Keynard's 

 death was due to natural causes, and the Colonel breathes 

 freely once more. 



Wednesday, at Pitch ford and Edge Green respectively, 

 was famous for its pitiless rain, which drenched its 

 votaries coldly ani thoroughly. A fox at Cantlop warmed 

 the Shropshire blood for a few minutes, while hounds ran 

 fast to Condover Park wall, declining which he turned for 

 Pitchford, was chased by a sheep dog, and vanished in 

 the watery element. Nothing at Goldings, Eaton Mascott, 

 or Bomere, and so cheerlessly home, Edge Green had 

 scarcely a better tale to tell, as scent was not good enough 

 to make foxes run straight, and everybody was glad to get 

 home and into a hot bdth, 



Thursday, at Battlefield. By this time the battle of the 

 elements had passed by, and sunshine proclaimed a well- 

 won victor}^ — such a contrast as only an English climate 

 could show. To-day the fine weather sportsmen, whose 

 heads were yesterday hid under their wings, came out like 

 butterflies in troops to jeer at the unfortunates, who had 

 had the hardihood to venture yesterday from their firesides ! 

 A fox soon made his appearance in a covert to the west of 

 the railway, and great was the charge of cavalry at the 

 first hv' 7 fence, and down a heavy plough parallel with 

 the rai^v-y, which the fox crossed spreading more con- 

 fusion -imongst the field, which, however, was very 

 shortlived, far he had no sooner got over the Hadnal 

 road on to the grass than he sold us, by going to ground 

 in a drain. An application of cold water was decided 

 upon to cure him of this propensity, the very idea of 

 which made him bolt. This time straight into Mr. Ward's 



