390 LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



Marshall's and the back of the outskirts of Romford, close to 

 Hill House ; here in a garden or nursery ground, by the 

 wall of Marshall's, we ran up, and the hind, who looked tired — 

 as well she might — for she had brought us so far in one and 

 a-quarter hours, the first three quarters of an hour at literally 

 racing pace — and all hoped she might be taken, as she would 

 have been but for an unlucky cast, 



A select number had got so far and few of them went on. 

 Lord Petre, who had gone well, but made too free use of his 

 brown horse, got two falls, and no further than Navestock. A 

 Mr. Arkwright on a clever horse, stopped at Romford. But 

 short rest was given to those who intended to see the finish, 

 for the hind seemed fresh again, and went away at the back of 

 Marshall's, disdaining roads, over a good line of country, 

 straight for Hainault Forest, through about half of the forest, 

 and then out again to the left. Here I lost distance from 

 carelessness and feared I should not see hounds again, trusting 

 unwisely to the confident assertions of the Christys and William 

 Mashiter ; but after going over much more ground than the 

 hounds, we fortunately espied them just quitting the forest and 

 sailing over the enclosures as if they had only just started. 



The boggy ground prevented our joining them as quickly as 

 we would wish, and a fresh impediment was presented in a 

 churl who stopped my companions. I was pushing through a 

 side-gate when he rushed after me and seized my bridle ; 

 remonstrance proving unavailing, I rose in my stirrups and 

 gave his knuckles a benefit which speedily relaxed his hold, 

 jumped the fence amidst his blessings, and after a switching 

 gallop over light and favourable ground and banking fences, 

 caught the hounds running over a fair line of country by Ilford ; 

 crossed the railway by a bridge, and continued on to Barking, 

 which the hind disdained to enter, and set her head for the 

 marshes, where we anticipated a benefit with tired horses among 

 the ditches ; but after jumping a stiff post and rails and ditch 

 gallantly, she headed short back again, and was secured at the 

 back of some houses and literally within one hundred yards of 

 a " ship " lying in the creek. She was taken two and a-half 

 hours after the hounds were laid on, the distance by the 

 nearest road must be about twenty- two miles. Tom Mashiter's 

 horse nearly died on reaching home, and was only saved by 

 administering to him a bottle of port. 



Saturday, April 5th. All the other packs in Essex having 

 ceased regular hunting, Marriott, as usual, stayed on a week 

 later than the rest, and met at St. Anne's Castle. A field of 



