Stamvardine Gorse, Cardcn, and Montford Bridge. 69 



On Tuesday, Mr. Corbet was not favoured with such a 

 good scent with which to amuse his multitude of followers. 

 Major Starkey's gorse put forth the first fox, which was 

 lost at Hadley Park. Quoisley provided No. 2, but this 

 is not a favourite spot for the thrusters, as there are two or 

 three bottomless ditches that the farmer at Quoisley tells 

 me generally cause an unhooking of his team at plough, 

 •'* just to give 'em a help out," wdienever Mr. Corbet comes 

 this way. From here, the fox seems to have meandered 

 about the Hinton coverts, thenby Peel's Gorse to Marbury 

 and Osmere, eventually being lost just beyond, on the 

 Whitchurch side, the whole run being an invasion of Sir 

 Watkin's territory. 



Wednesday had a variety of attractions, Carden stood 

 first in the affections of the majority, and right well they 

 were rewarded by a sharp scurry in the morning nearly 

 to the Duckington Hills, interspersed with watery 

 episodes Ghat added sauce to the repast. In the afternoon, 

 a long hunting run of two hours from near Edge all ov^ 

 the Broughton country, very difficult to describe, and still 

 more to decipher en the map, in which I believe Lockey 

 . showed great patience and wisdom, but was not rewarded 

 by a kill. 



Montford Bridge with the Shropshire on the identical 

 Wednesday was not so fashionable. Neverthless, its 

 chronicle is no mean one — a brace in Bickley Wood — 

 the hounds settled on the wrong one, who after being 

 headed, made a short peregrination to the Isle and back, 

 .and eventually got to ground. The dog fox, meanwhile, 

 had crossed the river. Preston Rough was tenantless, 

 but Gough's Coppice is generally a lucky little place, and 



■ to-day was no exception. Some eager starters on the 

 road nearly spoilt the fun, but he only skirted the wood 

 again and was off, leaving Cardiston on his left, to 

 Woodcote and Cruckton Pool at a capital pace. A sharp 

 turn here over the railway brought difficulties, but there 

 was a holloa forward Onslow way, and over the main 

 road he had been viewed, but Thatcher's darlings could 



■ barely own his line to Bickley, and he lives to fight another 

 •day. Trotting back, a third main was thrown directly 



the hounds reached Onslow Withy Bed. A good wild 

 fox did not wait to be found ere he was off, and a very 



