138 



LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



Captain Du Cane : The best day he had had since he left Essex. 

 (Did not hear where he had been hunting since he used to show us all the 

 way over the Roothings.) 



Mr. Jones : The best he had seen this season. We quite believe it 

 also, that the Colonel was a wee bit tucked up next day, for we fancy he 

 was not out on the previous Wednesday. 



Mr. Douglas Crossman : The best day he had seen in Essex, and he 

 has hunted two seasons, rarely, if ever, missing a Saturday. What a 

 clinking good horse his bay must be, for he rode him through the whole of 

 the day, and he finished up quite fresh, and ate his corn Hke a man on 

 Sunday ; and any horse I\Ir. Crossman rides has to go in the first half- 

 dozen of the very first flight. 







''■'^^^^^Mm^s-' 



C. E. Ridley's Gorse 



Mr. Tilling and Mr. Fitch both saw it out on one horse apiece, and it 

 is more than probable that the honours of the first run from Garnetts to 

 Dunmow High Woods belong to them, for arriving late at the meet after 

 a seventeen-mile drive they were told as they neared Garnetts that they 

 had found and were running, but not the fox, which passed close to Master 

 Sam's feet. Giving a ringing view halloa, hounds came to the cry, and 

 settled down for a real steady hunt, at pace fast enough and direction 

 sufficiently straight to tempt a reverend gentleman well known in these 

 parts to have a cut at a yawner, Mr. Sam pulling aside to let him go, and 

 afterwards implored him to get off, when, going slap in, he looked like 

 having his horse on the top of him. 



In a subsequent run from Canfield Thrift they went much faster, Mr. 

 Sam not being the only one who reaHsed that a bad start, blame it, from 

 the wrong side of the covert could not be made up. Running to High 



