276 LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



us later on), Mrs. and Miss Waters, Mrs. Grossman, in tall hat ; Mr. D, 

 Grossman, Mr. F. Green, Mr. and Mrs. H. J, Price, Mr. and Miss Jones, 

 Major and Mrs. Ricardo, Major R. B. Golvin ; a new member, Mr. Playne,''' 

 riding a clever thoroughbred horse and having a reputation for being a 

 very good man across country; Mrs. Barron, Mr., Mrs. and Miss Sewell ; 

 Gol. Fane on Royal Ghieftain, Mrs. Fane, Mr. R. Y. Bevan, Mr. and Mrs. 

 Arkwright, Miss Hattie Tait, Gaptain Wood, Mr G. F. Fitch, Mr. H. 

 Sworder ; Mr. Saward, of Patch Park, who during the day had a nasty roll 

 in the middle of a ploughed field ; Sir Gharles Smith, Mr. D. Gunliffe- 

 Smith, Mr. Gapel-Gure, Mr. George Brown, Mr. H. W. Lee, Mr. G. H. 

 Lee, Mr. F. Avila, Mr. R. G. Lyall, Miss E. Pelly, Mr. L. Pelly, Mr. E. 

 Lobb, Mr. John White, Mr. Daniel Gingell. 



We drew through Ongar Park Woods and some of the Gaynes Park 

 coverts without finding, and then hounds were run through the upper part 

 of Ongar Park again, with like result, and Bailey was making his way 

 through the woods to Rough Talleys when a single hound gave tongue, 

 and the rest of the pack flew to the cry. 



Turning sharp back I had the satisfaction of seeing hounds sweep right 

 past me and over three of the rides as they made a big sweep through the 

 woods, and with Golonel Fane, R. G. Lyall, J. Swire, Jack Miller (who 

 was riding Mr. G. E. Green's second horse), Bailey and Maiden (was it 

 Short ?), the still greater pleasure of seeing hounds hit off the line in the 

 open in the direction of Blake Hall. 



To the back of the station hounds ran like smoke. Leaving Greensted 

 House on the right, they kept on parallel with the line towards Ongar ; Miss 

 Jones joined us here, and soon afterwards her father came galloping up. 

 Grossing the road by Water End Farm, our fox got to ground, and the 

 Field, who had had a stern chase, came up — " a very sparkling fifteen 

 minutes." 



The fox was duly bolted but slipped hounds. 



At Gurtis Mill Green they found again, and running close up to Patch 

 Park came away over the river crossing the road (into which Mr. Drummy 

 Smith scrambled as soon as anyone) by Skinner's P'arm. Taking the line 

 very nicely through Bush Wood and over Hill Hall Park, we soon reached 

 Beachetts, hounds waking its deepest recesses with their musical cry ; 

 and driving their fox out over Hill Hall Park they ran to Barbers at hot 

 pace ; and kept it up beyond the covert, over the good-scenting grass fields 

 alongside the brook, crossing it, and causing something more than delay 

 to some of those who tried to follow. I quite expected that " Jenkins " would 

 land me in the middle, but luckily, after a refusal, he saw how easily Gol. 

 Fane's horse, "Royal Ghieftain," hopped over, and followed him. Hitting 

 the road off, near Mr. Pegrum's farm, not a horse would leave it, Mr. H. J. 

 Price's, Mrs. Bennett's, they all declined the small bank out (but here let 

 me note that, ere the run was over, I saw Mrs. Bennett pop the horse she 

 was riding, a recent purchase of Mr. Harry Sworder's, over a stiff five- 

 barred gate). A gate lower down let the refusers through, and they galloped 

 after hounds towards Stew Green and up to Stonard's Farm, where Mr. 

 Samuel Fitch, on foot, was ready for them. Our fox ran right through 

 the grounds of Theydon Grove from end to end, going out towards Epping 

 Station, to circle back and cross the road into Mr. Ginger's wood. Mr. 

 H. W. Lee giving Mr. E. Ball a lead out of the road in the wake of 

 hounds, while the majority of the field crossed the line by the bridge, and 

 helped to make a line of gaps in the Rev. E. H. Grain's fences before 

 they got on terms again with the pack, near Goopersale Ghurch. Running 



* He very soon afterwards rejoined his Yeomanry and went out to the Cape with them. 



