NO\EMl!ER, 1879 STOIM'KI) 1!V ]'Kr)ST 



15 



Mr. Walinsley and tlie hard ridin^^ and popular secretary, Mr. Hervey 

 Foster. Falls, like apples this year, were few and far between, and of so 

 harmless a character that they would scarcely have alarmed a dividend- 

 expecting shareholder in an accident insurance company. Entering the 

 Forest close to Epping some slow hunting ensued. Turning to the right, 

 they crossed the line where a longish check let in those gentlemen who, 

 no doubt, greatly rejoice that tollgates have been done away with. In 

 spite of the persevering efforts of ]3ailey, for which every one gave him the 

 highest praise, hounds were doomed to be disappointed of their fox ; for, 

 though they hit off the line and carried it through the Gaynes Park 

 Woods, they could never get on killing terms with him, scent failing 

 entirely when we got on the dry stubbles. Altogether this was a capital 

 run of over an hour, the first five-and twenty minutes of which was very 

 fast ; so the sportsmen who faced the elements were well rewarded ; but, 

 unless we soon have some rain, the ground will be getting too hard even 

 for macadam. 



Gaynes Park Woods 



Starting to the Meet at the Hare and Hounds, Roxwell, on Saturday, 

 November 29, we felt very doubtful as to vv^hether hounds would turn up, 

 owing to frost. The day before the hounds were advertised to meet at 

 Tyler's Cross (a good many turning up), there had l:)een a sharp frost 

 over-night, but under the rays of a genial sun it quickly disappeared, when, 

 to the astonishment of all, at 12 o'clock a hunt servant brought the dispirit- 

 ing intelligence that hounds were not coming. It was a bitter disappoint- 

 ment, as there was not a trace of frost to be found anywhere after the sun 

 had passed the meridian and the country rode remarkably well, as three or 

 four of us proved by going home straight across it, a few intricate banks 



