122 LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



to the thirsty and huno-ry sportsman homeward bound — and 

 that is saying a great deal, Mr. Sworder no more taking a " no " 

 to his welcome hospitality than a refusal from a young horse. 

 Long may he and his live and Nourish at Tawney Hall. 



On Wednesday, March 24th, we met at High House, Harlow. The 

 meet was well attended, but one and all seemed to think it was much too 

 hot for sport. This idea did not lose any of its force, when at the very 

 start the hounds could not touch the line of a fox which was put up on 

 the land of that staunch preserver of foxes and good sportsman, Mr. 

 Matthews, of Harlow Bury. 



I think also we were all depressed at the sad death of poor Miss 

 Deacon. I say sad, for it is sad when one so bright, so young, so kind, 

 should be snatched from the midst of us. Her parents have the sincerest 

 sympathy, in their great trial, of all the members of the Essex Hunt. 



After trying the Osiers near the canal we came back to Moor Hall, then 

 on to the Mark Hall coverts, via Barnsleys, where there were a leash 

 on foot, one of which they took past Barnsleys and ran to ground near 

 Foster Street. 



They then worked on to Harlow Park. While drawing it, a light 

 sandy-coloured fox made his way over from Latton Park. The hounds 

 were soon on his line and he made tracks back for Latton, where after 

 a short interval he broke in the direction of Latton Street, taking us over 

 Harlow Bush Common and away at a good pace to Vicarage Wood and 

 over Mark Hall Park, Mr. Colvin leading the field over the haha into 

 it ; on very fast over the park, over the Harlow Road (and, curiously 

 enough, over a field dressed with gas lime) hounds drove along over several 

 pastures, a sunken post and rail at the end of the last one proving 

 an effectual barrier to a wciglit-carryinf^ black and a light-weight grey, to 

 ground close to Harlow town, about half way between the George and 

 Great Eastern Railway, time 40 minutes from finding, Mr. Rider, the 

 hospitable host of the George, brought out refreshments, of which a good 

 many availed themselves. W^eir Hatches was tried without finding; 

 eii route to Parndon W^oods a fox jumped up, and led us a dance by 

 Parndon Hall through its shrubberies, from which time he was seldom out 

 of view until the hounds ran him into Weir Hatches ; but if Mr. R, 

 Wood had not jumped off his horse and run to the earths he would have 

 saved his brush. 



Some men are born huntsmen, and it was a fine piece of finesse. Our 

 friend had nothing left but to face the open, or the railway and canal. 

 He chose the former, to his destruction, and was pulled down after a nice 

 little gallop. A very satisfactory day's work for March. Two to ground 

 and a third killed. 



Managed to land " Badger, '"'= a horse Mr. Walmesley had given me, in 

 the first six in the Red Coat race at High Easter on March 27th, and 

 afterwards rode him in a very good 20 minutes (which speaks well for 

 his stamina) with a fox we put up in the open near Margaret Roothing, 

 which after taking us through Berners and Screens was pulled down in a 

 hop garden. 



March 31st. Met in the High Street, Epping. A day so windy and 

 rough that the whole of the Hunt, hounds, huntsman and all, were driven 

 to seek shelter from a violent storm in Mr. Wederell's Farm. But the 



* " Badger." This horse, before Mr. Walmesley bough him, won a point-to-point 

 in the Blackmore \'ale. — Ed. 



