West Fclton — a good day. 2t 



frost had taken its departure like a lamb, and the air- 

 seemed to breathe a scenr. West Feltou, with Sir Watkiii, 

 eould not be resisted, esj^eeially when a friend offered a 

 charming mount. Sandford Pool was our first draw. I 

 have seen a larger gathering- at this well-known covert,, 

 and several habitual faces were absent. How they will 

 curse their luck when they hear of our doings! Across 

 the road at the head of the pool came our fox, and all hid 

 a fair chance of starting down towards Prado, hounds at 

 once told us that there was a scent, then swinging to the 

 left, he hesitated in Lord Bradford's covert, and was 

 nearly caught. Away again over the road, leaving 

 Sandford Pool this time on his left, ^Ye went like pigeons 

 towards Knockin ; then inclining right-handed by 

 Shelvock, we raced over the grass, skirted the Old 

 Baschurch Steeplechase Course, just touched the lower- 

 corner of Gri gg Hill, and had a beautiful line in front of 

 us with Nesscliff his only chance of safety. Not destined, 

 however, to be reached to-day, for as we pass the brick- 

 kiln hounds catch a view — for one other field it is a course, 

 and he is caught close to Ruyton— a more stylish finish I 

 never saw. Thirty-five minutes and a most enjoyable 

 gallop. Grigg Hill soOn put life into the day again — a 

 fox g'oing away quickly towards Knockin, and then 

 wheeling on the high ground took us by Shelvock Farm^ 

 and straight down the fiat for Boreatton, but his life was 

 not destined to be a long one, for ere he reached the brook 

 at the far end of the course, hounds ran into him. T 

 believe a sheep dog had had a hand in the business. He 

 was a big fine fox, and should by appearances have gone 

 on beyond those short fifteen minutes that we had chased 

 him since leaving the hill. 



Once more our luck was in the ascendant, for no sooner 

 were hounds in LLoyd's gorse at Shottaton (where was 

 the owner to-day ? ) than a good fox was away grandly 

 with his liead straight for Nessclifi". Surely this time we 

 were in for a turn here. No — for ufter giving us a stiff 

 trial of hairy fences, when close to it, he swung to the left 

 and went for Ruyton Church, over the very spot where 

 perhaps his relation this morning had yielded his brush. 

 Here in spite of annoying holloas hounds worked on 

 beautifully, and Eli Skinner, in the absence of Lockey,. 



