54 LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



avoid riding over seeds and wheat, and pleasurably surprised at the 

 scarcity of barbed wire, only one strand being encountered throughout 

 the day ; but that, we must confess, made our blood curdle, for it was a 

 veritable death-trap, festooned in a hedge at the right height to catch you, 

 or your horse across the throat. 



Last, but not least, we were exceedingly gratified at the hearty welcome 

 extended to us by the members of the Hunt, the hunt button of a neigh- 

 bouring pack being sufficient passport in their eyes for a day, or, perhaps, 

 two, during a season without bringing out your cheque book. Riding 

 home we passed Thorndon Hall, the seat of Lord Petre, one of the most, 

 if not the most, beautiful places we have seen in Essex. Everything 

 about it old and good ; we did not look in vain for the deer browsing 

 under the magnificent trees that studded the park. 



It was over this park, and the stone wall that surrounds it, that the fox 

 made his way in the memorable run of two weeks previous. Mr. Sworder 

 pointed out the line he subsequently took to our wistful visions, but he had 

 been at it all day. There wasn't a covert, scarce a field, certainly not a 

 brook, which some time or other in this historic run of three-and-a-half 

 hours, covering some eighteen miles of country, which they had not crossed. 

 One brook in particular he could vividly recall, having just got over by the 

 skin of his teeth ; his two immediate followers, first they would and then 

 they wouldn't, but, suddenly making up their minds, rushed at it together, 

 cannoned, went in, and by the sounds he heard Kilkenny cats were not in 

 it (I don't mean the brook). Home at eight, the longest day for many a 

 week, but, in spite of the rain, ever to be recalled as a very happy one. 



The Essex Point-to-Point Races were held on Saturday, March 

 7th, at Canes, near Harlow, in anything but propitious weather, for rain 

 fell steadily from start to finish of the proceedings. 



There had been some talk at first of having the races in the neighbour- 

 hood of Coopersale, but difficulties having arisen in obtaining a course, 

 Mr. George Hart with his usual generosity and kindness, came to the 

 rescue and allowed the executive to chose a line over his land, which with 

 his (Mr. Hart's) matured judgment, they were enabled to do so effectually 

 that it was acknowledged to be about the best one ever selected for a 

 point-to-point in Essex, not only from a spectacular point of view, but 

 from the competitors' point of interest as well. 



The starting-place, a grass field touching Harlow Road, commanded 

 a view of nearly the whole of the course, which ran out for about a mile 

 and a half to a white flag in the distance ; the competitors being only 

 hidden from view for about a minute as they dipped over a hill near the 

 turning point. Most of the carriage folk took up their position in this 

 field, and although they did their best to conceal their identity with 

 mackintoshes and umbrellas, we managed to distinguish the following, 

 viz. : — 



Driving. — Mr. and Mrs. Bowlby, Col. Lockwood, M.P., Mr. Robert 

 Lockwood and party, Mr. Fred Green and party, Mr. and Mrs. Gerald 

 Buxton and party, Mrs. C. Green, the Misses Jones and Miss Fane, Mrs. 

 Jump and party, Mrs. Howel Price, Mrs. Ricardo, Mr. and Miss Pearson, 

 Miss Archer Houblon, Mrs. Carter, Mr. Wahab, Mr. and Mrs. Evans, 

 Mrs. Crocker, Mr. and Mrs. Flint, Mr. E. Pelly, Mrs. N. Gilbey, Mrs. 

 Nicholson, Mr. and Mrs. Parkes, Miss Savill, Miss Sewell, Mr. H. B. 

 Yerburgh and party. Miss and Messrs. Lobb, Lord Rookwood, Mrs. 

 Mackintosh and the Misses Maitland. 



Riding. — Mr. and Mrs. Arkwright, Mr. Baddeley, Mr. George Brown, 

 Mr. W. Buckmaster, Mr. E. Ball, Mr. and Mrs. R. Ball, Mr. Ford 



