10 HUNTING AND SPORTING NOTES. 



favour of her residence between Worcestershire an^ 

 Shropshire, and a lady commoner, whose husband holds^ 

 or did hold, a military post amongst us. 



To Atcham Bridge went an unusually gay cavalcade 

 on Friday morning, and the elements were as propitious 

 as they had been the reverse last season on the same 

 occasion. It is many years since so many carriages 

 have graced this beautiful meet, and at least a couple of 

 hundred horsemen comprised the field. Several new 

 pinks found it a most fitting occasion to be aired, and 

 well might the master be congratulated on the soul 

 inspiring scene, as a manifesto in favour of foxhunting. 

 The business of the day began with a vain search through 

 Attingham Park and withy beds. Eavenshaw gorse, 

 splendidly situated for a gallop, put life into the day's 

 proceedinos. Its fox went away boldly for the Wrekin, 

 and for three or four fields bold hearts grew bolder, and 

 the timid ones looked ominously forward to the big hill 

 a few miles ahead. Before, however, reaching the 

 Wellington Eoad, the fox turned left-handed, and 

 crossed the railwa}^ down to the Eiver Tern. Here came 

 visions of swimming or turning, which were not put to 

 the test, for the adversary's heart was weak, and he 

 declined a crossing, retracting his steps over the railway, 

 only to yield up his brush near the point of departure, at 

 Duncote ; a ring full of promise at first ending too soon. 

 A trot towards Longner followed, and Thatcher, taking 

 the withy bed near the meet en route, unexpectedly 

 revealed number two, that went off for Longner House, 

 unearthing a large luncheon party as the hounds and 

 field dashed past the windows. Hugging the river to 

 Preston Boats, and, on opposite Belvidere, he turned 

 across the railway and Uffington fariji. Up to Haugh- 

 mond Hill, a very pretty gallop, with some jumping, 

 sufficient to make the Atcham day an equal to its 

 predecessors. Here fresh foxes were going, and scent 

 got worse. 



Saturday, the 14th, the Albrighton met at 

 Wilbrighton, but beyond ringing the changes about 

 Aqualate, and then getting away tow^ards Wood Eaton, 

 not much fun resulted, I hear. 



Very good accounts reach me of sport in West 



