12 LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



chestnut mare, " Sheila,'" down a precipitous bank, leapt lightly over the 

 deep, dark pool at the bottom, closely followed by Mr. Bevan, we could 

 hear the maddening chorus of hounds come tinkling back, as we sped 

 up the hill and flew the bank at the top, where luckily Jack, who had kept 

 the right side of the brook, was in evidence, and in time to shout, "'Ware 

 wire ! " For the light was failing fast, and wire was barely distinguishable 

 as fence after fence was taken. Down to the plantation at the bottom 

 of Low Hill hounds forced their fox, and then took a turn to the right. 

 In vain the Admiral tried the gate as hounds flew up the grassy slope. Near 

 the top of the hill they hovered for a moment, before swinging themselves 

 round in a beautiful cast, recovered the line, and tore on over the road, 

 and close at their fox, dashed into the spinneys at the back of Nasing 

 House, when for a few seconds we lost sight of them. 



The huntsman now came galloping up, and recovering his hounds, made 

 the ground good beyond the house, some men at work in the gardens 

 getting a view of the fox stealing through the shrubberies. Bailey laid 

 the hounds on ; one circle round, one dash into the big kitchen garden 

 with a 2oft. wall round it, and it was U P for Master Reynard, for 

 Bailey was off his horse and closed the door in the garden wall, and 

 only he and his satellites witnessed the execution, the public not being 

 admitted. But this fox wanted killing, for he had already run up some 

 tremendous poultry bills and he had had a very good innings since we 

 ran him, you'll remember, in the early days of cubbing. It was a right 

 merry finish to a right good day, 'and Mrs. Willie Sewell, the only lady up, 

 fairly deserved the brush, which the Master gave her. 



During the day we were pleased to see Major and Mrs. Carter out, but 

 were sorry that the military cloak concealed a broken collar-bone. But if 

 the Major will go jumping railway gates down in Warwickshire, what can 

 he expect ? 



Why weren't you out on Saturday at High Roothing Street ? Ah, my 

 kind fellow, spare our feelings; we have heard all about it. "The 

 1 2-mile point." " The best day of the season." And the more we hear 

 the more sorrowful we feel that such a glorious opportunity was 

 missed, when the fun of a month was condensed into a day's sport. 

 Three grand runs they had in King William's land, and if the second 

 was better than the first, then the third was better than any ; and this 

 I take it from a man^ who was there, and who is not addicted to 

 piling on the agony — one who rides hard, and rides straight as the crow 

 flies, and hasn't a spark of jealousy in him. 



But take heart of grace, ye gallant stag hunters ! ye lady bicyclists ! 

 ye harrier thrusters. They did not kill, and three gallant foxes live for 

 another day. 



Monday, North Weald. — A frost postponed meet. December 23rd will 

 ever be remembered as the flat hat day ; not a single pink coat, not a 

 single silk hat, not one immaculate pair of breeches — with the exception 

 of the Master's and the staff's — could be seen. But better than white 

 breeches, pink coats, and glossy hats were several neat-fitting habits, and 

 their wearers did not repine at a day in the woods, as they were glad 

 indeed to have snatched one from the frost. We only saw one dirty coat 

 all day, young Mr. New's, and he appeared to have had a most crushing 

 fall (Cape papers do not copy), and only two hot horses, Mr. George Harfs 

 and Jack's ; but if you try to stop four couples of hounds when they have 

 cleared the big wood and with a piping hot scent have skimmed the open 



' Mr. Newman Gilbey. 



