54 LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



Started at eight in the gig, picked up Hervey Foster on my 

 way to Ongar. A lovely non-hunting day. Rode from Ongar 

 to Axe and Compasses. Found at Leaden, ran to Lords, by 

 Dobb's Wood to High Easter, Good Easter, Margaret Roding, 

 Leaden brook, and killed at Pleshey after 2 hrs. and 20 min. — 

 Two good runs are noted from Screens on Saturday, December 

 20 (a glorious, warm, sunny day), and further that young Caton 

 was nearly killed by a fall from his pony, and that Messrs. 

 Walmsley, Deacon, Royds, Maguire, Usborne, Pryor, Mrs. 

 Arkwright, and Miss Caton were out. 



Bitterly cold at Nasing Common on Monday, December 

 22, and a capital scent. Found in Parndon Woods, and ran to 

 Parndon very fast and very straight. The two Miss Palmers 

 went well. Found again in Mark Hall, and ran a tremendous 

 pace to Latton, where they checked for 20 minutes,* eventually 

 running by Maries to the Lower Forest and Ongar Park in 

 15 minutes. Sir C. Smith, Deacon, Caldecotts, Bury, Riddell, 

 Pomeroy, Howard, and many others out. vSaturday, December 

 27th, 1873 : " I say, what a day we did ave." Bob and I 

 left B. Hall in a perfect storm of rain and sleet at 8.45, securely 

 packed in the gig with " Chambord " in the shafts. We halted 

 at Sir Cavendish's, where we breakfasted, and then, with 

 Hervey as charioteer, driving Tweed's white horse in Sir 

 C.'s dog cart, we drove to Harlow, changed horses at the 

 " George," and galloped to Hatfield Town, doing the last seven 

 miles in eighteen minutes. Largish meet. Day now cold, but 

 fine. P'ound at once and ran very fast to Barrington Park to 

 ground; time, 10 minutes. Tufnell and Riddell both down. 

 Drew Row Wood blank, found in Down Hall, and ran across 

 the river to Matching Green, and on to Matching Park, 

 Lancaster Springs, Moor Hall, across to Sheering Street, 

 through Kennel Wood, where he was viewed by Allen 

 making for the Kennels, crossed the Harlow road, but was 

 too done to get any further, and was pulled down close to 

 the Turnpike after i hr. 10 min. Bob and I then came home, 

 walking all the way, as the mare was lame. Grief copious all 

 day. Usborne opened the ball when he came on his head; 

 Bob left " Comical's " back, and Hervey Foster had a heavy 

 roll close to IVLatching Park ; he also refreshed himself a second 

 time close to Lancaster Springs ; rolling into a pond with his 

 horse on him, he was nearly drowned, but was extricated by 

 Howard and Chetwode. Many out, including Sir Henry, 



■■' A pretty long check this.— Ed. 



