VULPKCIDE 169 



Master leading with Messrs. Bagot, Walmsley and Hull close up. Here, 

 again, the deer took a right-hand turn over a big wheat- Held, which most 

 of us avoided by slipping down the lane until the road was reached, where 

 we nicked in with the hounds as they crossed over on to Mr. Chaplin's farm. 

 Here some wide-spreading pastures, with willows beyond, indicated what was 

 coming, in the shape of the Weald Brook. Down we came to it, devoutly 

 hoping that the stag had gone on, and that there was a way over, for the 

 Weald Brook in a state of flood was not to be trifled with. 



Mr. Jones, I believe, discovered a ford for one contingent, but it was a 

 ford that let the water over your boots, and through which some horses 

 plunged over their heads ; I fancy a hole in the middle caused all the 

 splashing. Miss Jones very pluckily followed her father. Luckily hounds 

 checked here and we could reunite our scattered forces. Passing close 

 by Mr. Alger's ofT-hand farm, over a newly drained field, the country became 

 rather more open, and Fyfield in the distance seemed to be the point for 

 which we were making. 



At a good hunting pace hounds drove along, crossing the Fyfield road, 

 by the Truant School and down to Heron's farm, running parallel with the 

 river up to Forest Hall, where we had first glimpse of the deer who had 

 soiled in the flooded river. Directly we came up she was away again, and 

 ran at a great pace to Castle Farm down to the river again, where she 

 managed to double the hounds, and extricating herself from some very 

 cramped enclosures, she dashed over the river once more in the direction 

 of Marden Ash, where a certain thoroughbred ''■'• showed a decided dis- 

 inclination to jump away from home. She now treated us to our first piece 

 of road work to the old Kennels, where she was taken. Mr. George Hart, 

 as usual, led all the way on a mare, lately operated on for roaring by 

 Mr. Jones, V.S., of Leicester. The Rev. G. Ward, S., was up at the finish, 

 riding a good-looking chestnut cob. 



Monday, Feb. 25th, Greensted. Two brace of foxes having been found 

 dead in the neighbourhood of Tawney Common at the end of the previous 

 week, it was not deemed advisable to take .hounds near Ongar Park Wood, 

 consequently we had a long and weary draw before we found — through all 

 the Blake Hall coverts, Canes, Harlow Park, Latton Park, Barnsleys, 

 Mark Hall, Gravel Pit Wood, Parndon Hall and Pinnacles. Luckily a good 

 fox went away from the covert adjoining Pinnacles at 6 minutes to 4, and 

 gave us a rare good gallop over a very delightful country. Leaving 

 Merryweather's Farm on the right they checked for a moment on the 

 road, near the public house. Luckily hitting it off, a lovely panorama 

 spread out to view stretching away towards Galley Hills, but this was not 

 to be his point, though he went very near it, running to Hollyfield Hall, 

 where there was a momentary check, with news of a beaten fox in front of 

 us. 



Beaten or not he managed to do us though, for, turning back, hounds 

 ran at a great pace over the identical fine we had come, right up to Merry- 

 weather's on to the covert where we found him, and away from there to 

 Parndon Woods. Probably we changed at Parndon Woods. A very 

 heavy hail-storm coming on, hounds could make little of a line which they 

 took over Epping Green, whipping off at Maries Farm. For 50 minutes 

 there was no check worth speaking about, and by the time we had climbed 

 the hill to Tattle Bushes all the horses had had enough of it. However, 

 the slower hunting from there enabled them to get their winds again and to 

 keep going. Among those out who went well and saw the fun were Messrs. 



* Mr. Jones's horse. 



