2l6 



LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



were soon over Cobbin brook. The old ford which we knew appeared to be 

 wired up, and so nearly all seemed to think, and away most of them went 

 for the plantation, deaf to all entreaties. I essayed it and found one loop- 

 hole. Jumping off my horse and fording across and pulling out the stakes, 

 we managed to get through ; this was a good turn, for as we jumped into 

 the Bury bridle road near the hay stacks we were joined by those who, 

 having found another ford on the right had been able to tackle the rails 

 which immediately fronted them. Many, however, were completely done 

 by galloping down the Bury road. Away over the beans to the plantation, 

 barbed wire along the fence, or in and out of the spinney, which you liked 

 best. Bailey and Jim jumped into the plantation, but there was one way 

 out of the scrape— some stiff rails, barbed wire on the top. These rails we 

 have jumped before, so followed Mr. Arkwright over at once. Mr. Howard 

 Fowler hit them very hard and somebody else smashed them all to pieces, 

 wire and all. 



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i'i a_-,'-<''WT;F^^""S— 



Griffin's Wood 



From this point we bore away down hill, but our fox, evidently headed, 

 had taken a turn towards Epping again, and merrily sped the chase round 

 New Farm and down to Griffin's Wood. Barbed wire again, by all that's 

 provoking I Down jumped the Master and Jim to try and demolish it, 

 while others sought a way into the plantation and jumped the rails out of it. 

 Hounds ran on very fast through the Warren and out again over the park, 

 and away for another turn round the Bury fields, only to get back to the 

 Warren and the forest ; rattling through this at a great pace nearly to 

 Luffman's earths, he found refuge near the King's Oak. In the evening 

 we had another clinker from Latton Park to the Lower Forest, Messrs. 

 Arkwright, S. Caldwell, E. Barclay, Percy Pelly, G. Sewell, Miller and a 

 friend being the only ones who remained for it. It was a regular steeple- 

 chase. We ran back again, but much slower. It was quite dark when we 

 left off at 4.20, after certainly one of the best days I ever had. 



