A BAD ACCIDENT 259 



a fence as dark as Erebus, en route from the Green to Rose Hall Wood, 

 rather than meekly wait his turn for the gap which the rest of us sought. 



The two absorbing topics of conversation in the hunting field on iMonday 

 and Tuesday the last week were (ist) the very bad accident which Mrs. 

 Douglas Grossman had the misfortune to sustain hunting with the Essex 

 Hounds the Friday previously, and (2nd) the great day's sport that fell to 

 the lot of those who were at High Easter the following day. With regard 

 to the first, it seems that a hound crossed a man, who was galloping in front 

 of ]\Irs. Grossman, '-•= down a ploughed field, bringing him and his horse, 

 together with Mrs. Grossman's, to the ground. When she was extricated, 

 it was found that her thigh w^as badly broken. She was taken to the 

 Saracen's Head, Dunmow, It was very fortunate that such good quarters 

 as the Saracen's Head were so conveniently near, as the landlady, whose 

 late husband, Mr. George Wilhs, hunted so many years with the Essex 

 Hounds, had had some experience of the requirements of those who have 

 been unlucky enough to be laid up by accidents, for Mr. \Mllis met with a 

 good many in his lifetime. 



With regard to Saturday's sport, I missed, I am told, a chance of making 

 history, for Bailey affirms that 'twas the best scenting day that they had had 

 this season. Two big runs were brought off in the Lords and Leaden 

 country ; the first one of which was enough for most, too much for many, 

 and only those who had second horses had a look in for the big run that, 

 commencing at Garnish, swept past Lords and away to Row Wood, without 

 a check, leaving many a big and lusty youth lamenting the avoirdupois, 

 which, however useful it might be to him in a football scrimmage, was more 

 than useless when the lady pack of the Essex Hounds were racing frantically 

 across the big stretching fields of the best ploughed country in England ; 

 only one httle rift was in the lute to which such a merry tune was danced 

 upon this ever eventful Saturday — the two foxes brought to hand were 

 both found to be mangy. 



But people who make high holiday on Saturdays, swear by the Roothings, 

 and never go home contented unless they have had at least one gallop, were 

 not having it quite all their own way, did not quite monopolise all the fun 

 of the fair, for Mr. Ouare's Harriers held high revel over ^Ir. George Hart's 

 demesne upon the same day, accounting for a brace of strong hares with con- 

 summate ease, and never giving anyone a chance of seeing any of the fun 

 unless they rode straight to the bustling pack ; and ride straight the following 

 did, if I may venture to take liberties with a few names : — Mrs. Wythes, 

 Major and INIrs. Ricardo, jNIrs. Waters, ]\Iiss ^L Yerburgh, Mrs. Pelly, 

 Miss Quare and her sister, ^Miss ^l. Buxton, ]\Ir. and ^Irs. G. Buxton, 

 Mrs. Redwood, ^Ir. Horner, :\Ir. L. Buxton, Capt. Wood, ^Ir. F. Ball, 

 Mr. W. Sewell, ^Ir. Rickett, Mr. P. Lee, Tvlr. G. H. Lee, ^Ir. H. Hart, 

 Mr. C. Hart, Mr. Tossetti, Mr. E. Lobb, Mr. G. Brown. 



At midday, ]\Ir. H. Hart, who has succeeded his father at Canes Farm, 

 gave a most hospitable welcome to all comers, while his father, if helping 

 to keep some too eager spirits from over-riding hounds, was the first to give 

 them a line over a bit of Avheat when the pack were running full cry. 



I believe that this season is the sixty-sixth that ^Ir. George Hart and 

 Mr. Sims Horner have hunted in Essex. It was an honour to be out with 

 two such veterans. 



Not many days with ^Ir. Ouare's Harriers have come in my way this 

 season, but I could hardly fail to be surprised at the pace they can go, and 

 fancy that the strongest March hare will have little chance against them. 



* Mrs. Grossman made a very rapid recovery, and was present at our Steeplechases on 

 April 6lh. 



