190 



LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



until the Master made one through the hairy fence, by which time hounds 

 had secured such a lead that neither he nor any of his following caught 

 them until they checked at the extreme end of Ongar Park ; Mr. Price, 

 Mr. Hilliard, and one other who had turned back at once for the butts, 

 being the only three with them as they raced back through the woods as if 

 glued to their fox. 



Hesitating on the railway line until some of us were almost lost, we 

 galloped down the Weald Road on the chance of hounds coming out on the 

 Harlow side, the Secretary" on his grey and a man on a bay making rare 

 play down it. 



" Had you judg'd of these two by the trim of their pace, 

 At Bib'ry you'd thought they'd been riding a race." 



^^^^m7^~W^^ 



Navestock Lake 



But this saved their bacon, for they only just gained the outskirts of the 

 Great Woods as hounds came away on the grass, and then followed the 

 best part of the run, for from here to Knightsland hounds simply flew. 

 There was little time to note anything. I could see Captain Bruce on his 

 favourite horse " Tinker " slapping along after hounds which were well over 

 the brook before he and the huntsman got to it. Caught a jovial smile on 

 Mr. Loyd's face as he lep'd out of the Toot Hill Road with hounds, heard 

 Mr. W^altham holloaing at me to come into the lane and save the brook, 

 and shortly afterwards found myself exploring it and coming out the right 

 side, hounds tearing up the meadows beyond, and crossing Mr. Waltham's 

 lane, up which Mr. Sands and Colonel Fane were as quick as anyone. At 

 slower pace they ran the plough to Sir Charles Smith's woods, and hung a 

 moment beyond Berwick Wood. " That's it," said Mr. R. B. Colvin, as 



* Mr. R. Y. Bevan. 



