150 LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



Enfield Lock, the shades of night were faUing fast, and sadly he had to 

 relinquish the chase near Sewardstone, the latest intelligence being that she 

 had gone on to Epping Forest. Once in that sanctuary it was more than 

 doubtful whether she would ever be recovered, and Mr. Neave would not 

 have lost her for £^0. Mr. Edward Neave, Mr. Colley, Mr. Stevenson, 

 Mr. Walmsley, Mr. W. H. P. Barnes on " Gamecock," Mr. Henry 

 Lawrence, Mr. Blackborne, a stranger, and a lady,^ who rode straight and 

 fearlessly from start to finish, were the only ones who witnessed the Master 

 recover the line on the Cheshunt side of the river Lea. This deer was 

 never recovered. By the time we reached my house, the Master having 

 accepted an offer of a lift home for his hounds, it was fairly late, and we 

 found a Christmas tree in full swing. Mr. Colley subsequently sent one of 

 the youngsters a watch as a memento of his surprise visit. 



They say, and they say it with reason, that a day with staghounds 

 sharpens a fellow up across country. Was this why so many followers of 

 the Essex Hounds forsook their pack on Saturday, January 14th, to hunt 

 the lordly stag ? Or is it the increasing popularity of the hounds, which, 

 under the Mastership of Mr. Neave, are having such unrivalled sport ? 

 Among those who came to meet him and his aides-de-camp (Messrs. Colley 

 and Suart), I noticed Mr. Stevenson, Mr. Harrison, Mr. H. Lawrence, 

 V.S., Mr. Walmsley, Mr. Roffey, Mr. Tyndale White, Major Tait, Mr. and 

 Mrs. Keppel, Mr. Bowlby, Mr. A. J. Edwards, Mr. Bagot, Mr. Dickinson, 

 Mr. R. Ball, Mr. G. Willis, Mr. Howard, Mr. Kemp, Mr. Foster, Mr. W. 

 Sewell, Mr. G. Sewell, Mr. Hargreaves, Mr. D. Gingell, Mr. J. Gingell, 

 Mr. W. Symes, Mr. Hill, Mr. Borwick, Mr. Sands, Mr. Price, Mr. 

 Mathews, Mr. W. H. Pemberton Barnes, Mr. Crosse, Mr. Blackborne, Mr. 

 Waters, Mr. Elder. 



At 12.30 hounds struck the line near Moreton Mill, and for the next ten 

 minutes it was a case of hammer and tongs, for there was a capital scent. 

 Away in the direction of Little Laver, a bank out of a road brought to early 

 grief a youth on a cob ; and a widish ditch near Capt. Meyer's house held 

 more than one. There was a moment's respite, but only a moment ; when 

 hounds reached Herring Grove, and exactly ten minutes from starting, they 

 were away from it over the Park, with the deer pointing for Envilles, but 

 leaving it to the left near Mr. Mathews', they ran the road for a couple of 

 hundred yards to Little Laver Mill, and then struck into a lovely country. 

 The Master, as usual, cutting the work out, led in and out of a narrow 

 lane over a couple of stiles ; Mr. Harrison simultaneously coming to grief 

 over a rasper. 



As we reached the Moreton Road the stag was viewed going out of the 

 river ; and Mr. Neave, with some difficulty, stopped hounds for a minute, 

 for they were very keen. The moment they were laid on again they were 

 away at score, a convenient ford coming in the line. A roughish country, 

 nearly all plough, took us to Bobbingworth, and velvety grass brought us 

 to Dewley Wood. Passing it on the left, the Ongar line was passed near 

 Blake Hall Station ; and a sharp turn to the left towards Ongar, with 

 hounds carrying a beautiful head over these rough stubbles and rough 

 fences, with Mr. A. Kemp well to the front on " Kingston," could be noted. 

 Next, rounding the narrow spinney near the line, they made for Greensted, 

 through Mr. Dodson's farmyard, ran the road for a couple of hundred 

 yards, and then followed much the same line that a fox had taken us this 



'Mrs. Bowlby ; her first day's stag-hunting. It may be readily imagined that she 

 carried away very favourable impressions of the sport. — Ed. 



