380 LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



rejoice, though the parched ground gained but little benefit 

 from it. This morning was genial and warm, cloudy, with the 

 wind south-east, and looking like a hunting morning. Having 

 been unable to induce Fane and his friends to change the day 

 for the drag with the Beagles to-day, so as to allow me to see 

 it, I go with the stag to-morrow. I was dressing to await the 

 foxhounds at Blackmore when Mr. Conyers' huntsman was 

 announced, and going downstairs in my dressing gown, I saw 

 Will, who had been sent round by the Squire to myself, Petre, 

 Helme, and others in the neighbourhood, to say that the 

 hounds were not coming to-day, but that they would be at 

 Old Samford at the end of the week. 



I was voting myself unlucky and the Squire very annoying, 

 when Will reminded me of the Easter Hunt at the " Roebuck," 

 on Buckhurst Hill, in Epping Forest, and considering that I 

 had never seen the far-famed hunt immortalised by Hood, I 

 decided upon going. I told Will that had the hounds come 

 to Blackmore to-day, I had intended to present him with the 

 Cup and christen it at the same time, in drinking health to 

 himself and success to foxhunting, but as it was he had better 

 take the present opportunity of taking it home on his return 

 from Writtle Park. The inscription on the Cup is as 

 follows : — 



" To William Offys"'' (sic) — Huntsman to Henry James Conyers, Esq., 

 the Essex Hounds — this Cup, made from the head of a gallant fox found 

 on Saturday, February 2nd, 1850, in Norwood, and killed near Hyde Hall, 

 after an excellent run of one hour and five minutes, being one of the best of 

 a very good season with these hounds, was presented as well in commemora- 

 tion of the run as an acknowledgment of his efficiency, civility and general 

 good conduct in the field during the nine seasons out of the twenty he has 

 been with Mr. Conyers, to which the donor can bear testimony. — His sincere 

 well wisher, Charles Ranken Vickerman. 

 '^Blackmore, March nth, 1850." 



Mr. Vickerman's diary goes on : — Intending only to have a 

 look at the Cockneys, and having heard that the stag rarely if 

 ever left the Forest, and seldom ran more than a mile or two, 

 I decided upon riding "Chancellor" (who, having been so 

 recently taken up, was not in hunting condition). And with 

 Beckington on " Trap " (kindly lent by Williams) proceeded 

 to the scene of action by way of Navestock, Passingford 

 Bridge, Abridge, Chigwell, and across the fields to Buckhurst 

 Hill, arriving there about a quarter to two, and meeting a 

 motley assemblage of horsemen, foot people, carts crammed 



Should be " William Orvis."— Ed. 



