72 HUNTING AND SPORTING NOTES. 



bank, one mile above Cressage Bridge ; the hounds then 

 went straight up the Eyton meadows for half a mile, 

 when they turned and again crossed the river, three 

 hundred yards above the old ferry, better known as the 

 Punch Bowl Inn ; the hounds came straight up to the 

 railway, when the half-past three train from Shrewsbury 

 was passing, but three or four of the field got between 

 the hounds and the train, and saved the pack. We then 

 hit off his line, up the Severn meadows to Cound 

 Brickyard, where a check delayed us, but a friendly 

 holloa at Venus Bank enabled our amateur huntsman 

 and whips to get on this good fox again. The hunt 

 servants were left sorrowing on the river brink, and were 

 probably not aware that the hounds had re-crossed the 

 river. The fox was now seen in the cover at the back 

 of Venus Bank. He wished to make Eaton Mascot his 

 point, but was headed back by a man on foot. We now 

 expected to kill him in cover, but were mistaken, for he 

 crossed the Blacksmith's Garden, where he was seen by 

 the field a hundred yards in front of the pack, and then 

 crossed the road and into the Long Dole Cover. The 

 field went under the railway at the Brickyard, and away 

 we went meriily for Brompton, and eventually lost all 

 trace of the fox on the ploughed ground opposite Mr. 

 Bacher's house, at Wroxeter. The hounds cast forward 

 up the river side past the mouth of the river Tern. On 

 reaching the bend of the river, where the salmon are 

 landed by the net fishers, the hounds crossed the river 

 for the third time, leaving a small field of fifteen on 

 the bank. On landing they could not hit off a line. 

 Fortunately Thatcher appeared on the opposite bank 

 just in time to take charge of the hounds, and would no 

 doubt read m their countenances a full report of the run. 

 The hounds lost the fox at about a quarter-past four, 

 and were running about one hour and a half. There was 

 plenty of fencing most of the way, and some very big 

 jumping in the Severn meadows below Cound. All the field 

 except about twenty, were throw^n out at the river below 

 the Punch Bowl. Mr. Hulton-Harrop made an excellent 

 huntsman, and with one from Stapleton cut out most of 

 the work. A little black mare from Harnage, a daring 

 M.D. and a steeplechase ht>rse from beyond the Edge 



