'if'J^ LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



briiiQ-ino one to one's old conclusion that thouQ^h the Master 

 and Huntsman are undeniably good, and though they seem 

 always to have foxes and sport, one spin of half an hour across 

 the Roothings with a flying fox is worth a month in such a 

 country. 



Saturday, February 2nd. To-day realised my conclusion 

 of yesterday. It looked like a hunting morning, the wind, still 

 S.W.. had greatly moderated and a slight mist, scarcely to be 

 called rain, was falling. The fixture was Fyfield, and the draw 

 in the right direction, viz., Norwood, where we found instantcr, 

 running a cracker from Brick Kilns and Man Wood to Match- 

 ing Green, where a check occurred at some cottage gardens 

 and, it was feared he had beaten us. But hitting it off, Stalli- 

 brass, myself, and one or two others attempted to get to hounds 

 through a farmyard, but an Amazon proprietress stood on the 

 other side of the gate and positively refused to let us through, 

 proof alike against persuasion or threats, and it being evident 

 that nothing but force (which as against a woman was not to be 

 thought of) would clear the way, we had to retrace our steps 

 and lost not a little, which cost our horses an effort to recover ; 

 running by Down Hall, Sheering and nearly up to the Forest, 

 pulling their fox down by Hyde Hall Springs. Captain Tower, 

 Will and others saying the brush belonged to me I took it. 

 Chafey, Captain Tower, Jessopp, Stallibrass, Household and 

 Sam Reeve were well in the run, which lasted sixty-five minutes 

 and must have covered twelve miles. 



Will, the Huntsman, was lauding the beauty of the fox's 

 head, which significantly reminded me of a promise to give him 

 a cup after some good run ; I therefore told him to give me the 

 head, which he very gladly did. Though barely i o'clock we 

 did not draw again, and went home, " Peep o' Day" decorated 

 with brush and head, looking changed in his appearance since 

 the morning, but every inch a hunter after the tug-of-war. 



Monday, March i8th. 'Twas a lovely morning for anything 

 but hunting, though the wind was still N.E. there was but little 

 of it, and the bright sunshine was warm and gave a cheerful 

 appearance to the scene, though the moat was covered with ice. 

 After an agreeable walk in the garden of the old Priory with 

 the Miss Harveys, I started for Boynton Hall, where a deer was 

 to be uncarted before Petre's Harriers. An untried hind, pro- 

 vided by James Parker, was uncarted about a quarter before 

 one, and evidently had to learn her business, for she was dis- 

 inclined to go away and kept returning until driven off by 

 F. Barker. The hounds (consisting of Petre's Harriers, which 



