68 HUNTING AND SPOBTING NOTES. 



SEVENTEENTH WEEK, Februaey 15th to the 20th.. 



An unbroken week, such as the last, is an event in a. 

 winter such as this in our neighbourhood. Albeit Sir 

 Watkin, when he left Ruabon by train for Baschurch, on 

 Monday morning, must have had grave misgivings about 

 the state of the ground, as it had frozen desperately on 

 Sunday night, a large field turned up, and it was 

 impossible to disappoint them, so, after an hour's grace,, 

 and thanks to the wind turning south-easterly, a move 

 was made to Stanwardine Gorse. Its dark recesses had 

 not been entered by a single hound ere an early caller 

 from a distance had heard the rattle of hoofs, and the 

 clamour of tongues up the approaching field, and he was- 

 off in hot haste on the far side with his nose for Petton. 

 Lockey's chance was a good one, and so was the good 

 doctor's, for while the former was gallopiug to clap them 

 on his line, the latter was putting on the steam, just to^ 

 remind the traveller that there was a better line open tO' 

 him than Petton Shrubberies, and he took the hint 

 gallantly. Straight as a crow would fly, by Stanwardine 

 Hall he went, and the state of the ground had soor to be 

 forgotten if you wanted to be near the head of affairs 

 to-day. On to Kenwick, where people averred he was in 

 the same field with the hounds. Anyhow he had plenty 

 of spurt left in him, for there was no symptom of a turn. 

 On over Tetch Hill, leaving the Lea Woods on his 

 right, almost to Frankton, until he found an open earth 

 at Hardwick, near EUesmere. A straight six miles in 

 thirty-five minutes, the country good, and everyone had 

 to do his best. What more could have been desired ?' 

 I will refrain from multiplying or enlarging upon the 

 grief — suflice it to say that the kick was taken out of the 

 horses, and few one-horse men cared to endorse a second 

 attack on Petton after a long jog back there, especially as 

 hounds again went away hotly from the Marton 

 Plantations and taking an exactly opposite line to that of 

 the morning, went by Marton, just missing the boggy 

 ground, crossed the G.W.R. to Walford, and marked 

 their fox to ground between their and Leaton, as far as 

 I can make out. Grumblers have nothing to say against 

 such a day as this. 



