90 HUNTING AND SPORTING NOTES. 



is readied we are with them again. Here scent seems 

 to desert us altogether, and it looks as if he has beaten 

 us, but Thatcher's ideas of his whereabouts are right, he 

 has turned back for Wytheford, in a little covert before 

 reaching which he laid down. The first whip cleverly 

 catches his eye on him, and hounds come out and race 

 him in view into Wytheford Wood, through one corner 

 of it, and out towards the Shawbury Road, one other dash 

 into the wood and out again, only to be caught in the 

 open, rather ignominiously as Borderer thought, although 

 he proves an old fox, and is stiff as a crutch. This shows 

 how the heavy state of the ground and long inactivity had 

 told on our foe as much as upon ourselves. We had run 

 him about forty minutes. Better than staying at home, 

 we all agreed, for had we not warmed our blood, and 

 seen a fox killed ? Then ended the fun of the day, for 

 there was no other fox in Wytheford, Morgan's Pool, or 

 the Hazels. On Saturday, I believe, they were to go to 

 the Hills from the Kennels, and I have not heard what 

 befell. No can I give any later intelligence this week of 

 Eednal or other places, having to be elsewhere, but I 

 shall hope for a full budget for next week if all's well. 



So the Wheatland are going back to their old manage- 

 ment, and Mr. Turnbull is going to take the horn — 

 a most plucky proceeding, considering his age. It'is 

 acknowledged on all hands that no one knows the 

 country better than he does, nor is keener. To which he 

 adds a natural aptitude for the work, which I think 

 nobody else has attained to, and to which Borderer adds 

 his blessing. 



All the world will go to Liverpool to see the Grand 

 National run this week, and it will seem like the palmy 

 days of steeplechasing when at least twenty-five com- 

 petitors will sport silk. My pet Einglet has met with an 

 accident, and Eedpath is not so strong a favourite as I 

 expected. My other chosen ones, Sinbad, Savoyard, and 

 Gerona will run well, I think, but are in the outside 

 division, while Ivanhoe will play second fiddle to the 

 second favourite, Coronet, whom everybody tells me 

 cannot be beaten. When called Prince Rudolph II. he 

 certainly has not performed like such a good horse, but 

 time will show. I dare not oppose him. I do not think 



