468 APPENDIX 



fall over some posts and rails ; however, I am glad to hear that the gallant 

 dragoon is none the worse, and that Mr. AUcard has only sustained a slight 

 sprain. Picture to yourselves a country flat as a pancake, interrupted only 

 by willow-trees and a high bank, and you have Horbling Fen in your 

 mind's eye. Riding up the bank, only to find a wide drain, with banks 

 like the side of a house, and a bottom like a quicksand, and the hounds 

 crossing it steaming away at right angles to the opposite side. No horse 

 could possibly cross, and no bridge for miles. The field was pounded. I 

 thought that Gillard had a woeful expression, like Jorrocks on his memorable 

 bye-day. However, it is very gratifying to know that Frank found his 

 hounds after considerable trouble, as they returned with wonderful sagacity 

 to the place from which they had parted company with the huntsman. Up 

 to the rupture of hounds and field, one hour and fifty minutes, with only 

 one slight check, and pace such as Leicestershire might envy ; the distance 

 as the crow flies being about eight miles. It would be very ungallant of 

 me not to mention Miss Laura Willson, who rode throughout with great 

 pluck and judgment at the tail of the hounds; and among the sterner 

 portion the huntsman and both whips rode in splendid form. Mr. Cross, 

 Capt. Tennant, Mr. Rhodes, '•' Mr. Couturie, and Mr. Rudkin rode to 

 hounds as good horsemen in the prime of youth and vigour should. 



Scout. 



The Belvoir Hounds.! 



Never has it been my lot to witness a larger or better-mounted field on 

 this side of the country than the one which met my gaze as I stood facing 

 the residence of Col. Reeve at Leadenham on Tuesday last. Conspicuous 

 among them were Lord Brownlow, Sir Thomas Whichcote, Col. Reeve, 

 Mr. and Lady Florence Chaplin, Lord Burghley, the two Misses Willson, 

 Sir John and Lady Thorold, the Hon. Evelyn Pelham, Mr. Mickle- 

 thwaite. Captain Tempest, and that enthusiastic sportsman, Mr. William 

 Jackson, of Sleaford. 



The coverts in the park and vicinity having been drawn blank, we 

 jogged along in anything but a contented frame of mind as the flakes of 

 snow fell every now and then as if to mock the keen sportsman. At length, 

 having arrived at a very well-grown gorse, with a bed of willows on the 

 east side of it, I asked a friend the name. " Colonel Willson's," he replied, 

 "and as sure a find as any in the Belvoir country." My informant — I 

 rejoice to say it — spoke truly ; for almost before the words were out of his 

 lips the mellow music of the hounds broke upon my ear. My heart throbbed 

 within me as Reynard dashed into the open with a whisk of his brush at 

 some fifteen couple of hounds who were following in his wake. Crossing 

 some very heavy fields, we hit the road, and racing along for first place, left 

 the high road in the direction of Hough ; but the fox meant us to have a 

 ducking in the Brant, as this was his point. This Brant is a well-known 

 stream, corresponding to the Whissendine in the Cottesmore country, with 

 the exception that in the latter case the take-off is grass, while in the former 

 plough over your horse's fetlocks. To give you a slight idea of what it is 

 like, a man who charges it and fails to get over is termed " a Brant goose," 

 but if he sails over in safety is considered a flyer from that day, even for 

 ever. As luck would have it, we espied a bridge, and thus avoided the 

 chance of ignominy or eternal fame. Several falls, unaccompanied by 



* Colonel Frank Rhodes, Royal Dragoons. - Ed. 

 t From The Field, February 22nd, iJ^79. 



