64 HUNTING AND SPOBTING NOTES. 



Golding's Coppice, wliicli produced a brace last week, was 

 tried. Here they were again, and the right one being the 

 chosen one of the pack this time, they rattled away merrily 

 down the brook side, not crossing until approaching Oound, 

 by the Iron Bridge, and leaving Eaton Mascot on his left, 

 ran parallel with the railway up to the level crossing 

 opposite Cross Houses. Here an unfortunate check ensued, 

 and Thatcher held them over the line, whereas the fox had 

 declined crossing. Thanks to a holding scent, on they 

 went again until, nearing Berrington, the fox crossed the 

 line, when Thatcher had made up his mind that Bomere 

 was his point. A holloa brought him back, and hounds 

 ao^ain hunted prettily to Chilton, where, in the bank at 

 the back of the house, in 2^oor Harry Burton's favourite 

 earth, he made himself safe, after giving them a very nice 

 hunting run over a good and rather unusual line. Great 

 were the stories of grief and deeds of daring that had 

 taken place during the dn.y — a daring M.D. jumping the 

 wire fence that runs parallel with Eaton Mascot drive. 

 Others charged iron rails unintentionally, and came safely 

 out of the encounter. Young men and horses were hung 

 up in hairy fences, and caught in the ditches beyond; in 

 fact, dirty coats were the order of the day, all, however, 

 harmless and hapi^y in their results. 



Amid the varying attractions of the week a peep into 

 Eadnorshire could not be resisted. A telegram on Thurs- 

 day reported frost really going and hunting certainly 

 possible. An early start, thirty miles by train, and a four 

 mile drive before breakfast, sharpens the appetite — a 

 couple of miles jog, and I am at Pilleth, in the pretty 

 Lugg Valley, where every field recalls a pleasant memory. 

 Suoh a bright beautiful morning, too, with the snow on 

 the high ground, adding vigour to the landscape and 

 making a sportsman's heart leap at the idea of coming 

 events. Those hounds, too, seem to add their welcome to 

 one now almost a stranger to them. Had they quite 

 forgotten me ? In a moment of unpardonable conceit, I 

 thought they had not, as they looked up with wagging 

 sterns, and their countenances brimful of sense, clustering 

 round an old friend. Comparisons are not always favour- 

 able, but here I looked over once more those fine backs 

 andloinsj iron limbs, and sensible countenances, for which 



