IG HUNTING AND SPORTING NOTES. 



peaty mire that had to be waded through, especially 

 when foxes declined to leave their pigstye, even on 

 account of Wynnstay persuasions. Blacko in the- 

 afternoon, gave forth a degree of mirth to the 

 proceedings, from which a fox ziggzagged towards the 

 Fens, and then to Iscdyd — perambulating here for some 

 time, then towards Bubney Farm, and then ringing: 

 again, the staying division eventually found themselves- 

 iit Blako once more, after various adventures by flood 

 and field, and crossings and re-crossings of the canal 

 and railway, which made the day one of the most 

 crooked of the season. x\lthough keen men declared 

 it was an hour-and-a-quarter to ground on the railway 

 at Alkington. 



This aforesaid ^\'ednesday saw the Shropshire at 

 Dorrington Station, alas ! still without Thatcher's horn. 

 The proceedings may be summed up very shortly as far 

 as sport goes. Plenty of foxes in Acton Burnell coverts 

 — fog too thick to see which way hounds went — no use 

 trying to get down into the lowlands — wet, weary and 

 disgusted, the field soon left Booker all to himself. I 

 wish I could end the story of a poor day here, but, as a 

 matter of fact, how often we find disaster in company 

 with disappointment. A lady, whom every lover of 

 foxhunting in Shropshire admires and honours, braved 

 the elements on the oft" chance of a run, but not on one 

 of her accustomed horses. The brute suddenly 

 bethought him that his coach was at home, and that he 

 was on the spree Putting thought into action away he- 

 went, and before he could be steadied a biggish ditch 

 intervened. Here, swerving first, and then ^^itching, 

 on to his head, his unfortunate rider fell on the right 

 side. Her riding habit hung on the pommel of the 

 saddle, and she was cruelly dragged for some eighty 

 yards, the beast that had caused the mischief kicking at 

 her in the meantime. Could anything have been more 

 dreadful? Indeed, we have known so many similar 

 accidents turn out fatally, that it is comforting to know 

 that, with a presence of mind truly wonderful, the 

 prostrate form put up both her arms to protect her head 

 and thus saved her life, as her arm was severely kicked 

 and only one cogmark of a shoe was planted on her 



