76 HUNTING AND SPORTING NOTES. 



Gorse about two fields to the left, over the boggy Willj' 

 Moor Meadows to Bar Mere. Here we came to a check, 

 the fox having evidently run up the road some distance 

 towards Cholmondeley ; for on Lockey casting in that 

 direction he hit off the line, and a moment afterwards 

 our fox was viewed ; therefore, getting on good terms 

 with him again, the hounds pressed him on through 

 Norbury Common, and out on the far side as if x^ointing 

 for Wrenbury Mosses ; but after going a few fields he 

 turned to the left, and running a ring, pushed his way 

 into Cholmondeley, close to the Home Farm, and on 

 through Bretts Moss (the most foxy cover in all 

 Cheshire). Whether we changed here or not I cannot 

 say, but it is most likely we did, for hounds were quickly 

 away on the far side, and ran at a very good pace 

 straight up to Hampton. Here they checked for a 

 moment or two close to a farm yard, the fox having 

 evidently been headed, for he turned to the left and set 

 his head straight for the Larkton Hills, but most extra- 

 ordinary to relate, when just within one field of the hills, 

 he turned to the left, and ran past Duckington, leaving 

 the wood of that name close to the right, over the 

 ChCiSter Eoad, through the Hooks plantation, and on to 

 below Carden Lodge, the scent getting cold. I hear 

 that Lockey at this stage wdiipped off the hounds. I, 

 myself, left them by the Hooks plantation, having a long 

 ride home before me. I believe the time was about two 

 and a half hours. Up the Larkton there was nothing 

 to complain about as to pace, for the hounds kept 

 plodding steadily on. Most of the line is stiffish, and 

 some parts were very happy, and I regret to hear that 

 Captain Paley broke the back of as good a hunter as 

 ever looked through a bridle. Another well-known 

 retired officer emerged from the bottom of a ditch boot- 

 less, his gee kindly performing the part of boot jack, 

 whilst his jovial valet j;7'o tern of some fifteen stone weight, 

 tugged away with all his might at his master's prostrate 

 form. I hope that none of the actors are any the w^orse. 

 Second horses w^ere at a premium, as the line taken did 

 not enable them to nick in." 



On Wednesday at Stapleton Village, with the Shrop- 

 shire, there w^as not sufficient frost to stop hounds. Of 



