SHROVE TUESDAY, '96 47 



Staying' powers, steered by one to whom fear was a stranger, it 

 was no matter for surprise that when hounds ran hard 

 ' Fairyhind " was a guiding star for those who rode to keep the 

 first flight in view. 



Shrove Tuesday. 



By far the best item of news to those not in the know : that the Master- 

 ship of the Essex Hounds is not to change hands. Seeing the number of 

 countries that are becoming vacant at the end of the season, we may 

 heartily congratulate ourselves. For under the present regime we have had 

 undeniably good sport, and it is to be sincerely hoped, in the interest of 

 fox-hunting in West Essex, that the two Masters who now carry the horn 

 will continue to do so for many years to come. It behoves their supporters, 

 however, in different parts of the country to stir themselves before the 

 advent of another season in the matter of dealing with the barbed wire, 

 which is slowly but gradually increasing. 



Both our chiefs were out on Tuesday, and also Mrs. Bowlby and Mrs. 

 Arkwright. Mr. R. Lockwood paid a visit to his old country. I am sorry 

 that he did not have a better day ; he was mounted on a very good horse 

 belonging to Mr. E. Ball, who with his brother and Mr. Frank Ball were 

 among those out. But I may as well give you the list, which with the 

 near approach of the end of the season is not likely to grow any smaller. 

 We have only two M.P.'s, I believe, who hunt with our hounds. They are 

 both doing their duty to their constituents and their country. A member, 

 however, for one of the northern divisions was with us (Mr. Pease), but he 

 sails under a different flag to our Unionist members. A fair number of 

 ladies, if not quite so many as usual, lent grace and charm to the gathering 

 of the clans : The Misses Blyth (three), the Misses Bowlby (two), Mrs. 

 Bennett, Mrs. Pemberton-Barnes, Mrs. Bruce, Miss C. Buxton, Mrs. Carter, 

 Miss Colvin, Mrs. Howard Fowler, Mrs. Neill, Miss Peel, Mrs. L. Pelly, 

 Mrs. Redwood, Mrs. Sewell, Mrs. Waters. Of the sterner sex we noted 

 the following representatives : General Sir Evelyn Wood, V.C., Mr. Avila, 

 Mr. Baddeley, Mr. Ford Barclay, Mr, Basham, Capt. Bruce, Mr. C. J. 

 Bury, Mr. Ralph Bury, Major Carter, Mr. S. Caldwell, Mr. P. M. Evans, 

 Mr. Howard Fowler, Mr. S. Fitch, Mr. N. Gilbey, Mr. C. E. Green, 

 Mr. Green (of Todd's Brook), Messrs. Gold (two), Mr. Galloway, Mr. D. 

 Gregory, Mr. Harrison, Mr. G. Hart, Mr. Hart, jun., Mr. W. Horner, Mr. 

 Duke Horner, Mr. H. W. Lee, Dr. Love, Mr. Loyd, Mr. R. C. Lyall, 

 Messrs. Lobb (two), Mr. H. J. Miller, Mr. Morris, Tvlr. Patchett, Q.C., Mr. 

 A. Peel, Mr. J. G. Pelly, Messrs. Sewell (three), Mr. H. Sworder, Mr. 

 A. R. Steele and brother, Mr. Swire, Mr. R. S. Tilling, Mr. Todhunter, 

 and Mr. Waltham. 



If those not with us would know what took place on this particular day 

 I may tell them that we rode briskly and hopefully through the dull dry fog, 

 which an easterly breeze swept over a country which is rapidly becoming 

 as parched and adust as a March-dried scene, for the country we rode 

 through is one of our fairest. No barbed wire lurks in sinuous and deadly 

 coils, and any moment we expected to be away on the top of a Tattle Bush, 

 Roydon, Pinnacles, Parndon Hall, Weir Hatch, or Mark Hall fox. In a 

 bunch we found them at Harlow Park, and came away with a good one 

 over a delightful country, and we skirmished with a broad front over 

 pasture and plough when the Latton coverts had been left, as we rode 

 southwards to Epping. But a good fox made the best of a good start, and 

 leisurely doubling back through the grass helds behind the local Brewery, 



