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LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



Mr. Sheffield Neave's Stag Hounds have had a capital season, and last 

 Saturday's was no exception to the run of good sport which these hounds 

 have continued to show. The meet was at Magdalen Laver, at Mr. 

 Lucking's farm, Feb. qth. After 15 minutes' law the hounds were laid on. 

 The iirst field, a ploughed one, brought them to their noses, and at a nice 

 hand gallop we could keep them in touch, as they swung over the first 

 fence, a Roothing ditch, and ran nearly to Belgium Springs, but bearing 

 right-handed crossed the Rectory road, a deep drop into it having to be 

 tackled by those who were riding the line, among them Miss Jones. A gate 

 let us into the next field, and another out was handily opened by Mr. 

 Joseph Tucker, who had a view of the deer going on over the hill, and now 

 had a glimpse of the fun in that corner, for three or four very useful 

 fences came in the line, the first, a fair-sized, deep-banked brook, a temptmg 



Henry Bagot 



jump out of grass into grass. As hounds checked we observed how many 

 horses refused, and hoiv one in particular showed no inclination to come out, 

 in spite of his owner's hauling at the reins, as if he had hooked a big 

 salmon. 



Hounds feathered for a moment here, and then a hat up on the sky line 

 indicated the direction to take, but a locked gate was too high for the 

 Master, so he re-jumped the brook and others followed, while a good many 

 had a go at a bullfinch with ditch beyond ; those who jumped the brook 

 back had a rasping big fence before they could get to hounds, and one loose 

 horse at least (Mr. George Hart got a cropper here) could be seen. Those 

 who had taken the other line in their turn had to encounter a formidable 

 cut-down blackthorn defended by a ditch. Mr. Torrance, whose land we 

 were on, pointing out the direction our quarry had taken, we all made use 

 of a sound headland, parallel with the chase, then down a narrow lane, the 



