2IO 



LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



both Masters through indisposition was in charge, not wishing to overdo 

 him, gave the order for home — to the disappointment of none of us, for it 

 was really too windy and too cold to enjoy hunting. When hounds ran 

 up to his coverts Mr. Colvin sans hat was leading the van. Mr. and Miss 

 Peel, Mrs. Grossman, Mr. H. Sworder, Mr. Waltham, Mr. Baddeley and 

 Miss Morgan stayed to the end, and Mrs. Wythes made her first 

 appearance, I believe, with the Essex Hounds. As I rode by the bridle 



path through Clavering Bury Farm I saw old V ,§ who had so recently 



warned the Hunt off his land and wired his fences in every direction, 



Mrs. Douglas Grossman on "Ruth" 



prowling about behind a hedge with his gun, doubtless intending to give 

 Reynolds a warm salute should he venture near him. 



From the diary extract of the same day I see that the ground was 

 drying up rapidly and note that so far the season had been an extra- 

 ordinary one for its mildness and dryness. Sport since January ist had 

 been very good ; up to Christmas it had been most indifferent, having been 



S I must have maligned Mr. V. in this journal entry, as subsequently I interviewed Mr. V. 

 and got him to promise to remove his wire. — Ed. 



