THE BADMINTON HUNT. 33 



shire, the South Oxfordshire, the Tedworth, 

 and the Craven Hunts, all supplied repre- 

 sentatives, and sportsmen from Bath, 

 Bristol, and Clifton, were In great force. 



Till the hounds reached Swangrove, not 

 a trace of a fox could be discovered. There, 

 however, a family party appeared to have 

 assembled In social conclave, holding coun- 

 cil. It might be conceived, on the extra- 

 ordinary proceedings of the day. No 

 sooner did the hounds commence to draw, 

 than five or six foxes were on foot ; one of 

 which was chopped, but the hounds settling 

 to another, they did not stop to perform 

 the usual obsequies. The one they were 

 hunting ran a ring round the park, affording 

 a pleasing sight for the carriage visitors ; 

 but the scent was wretched, and he was 

 given up to go in search of an eccentric 

 member of the species who, it was known, 

 had a place of seclusion on the roof of a 

 hay-rick, belonging to an excellent friend, 



