MORKTOX TO TEIOBV 223 



through Beachetts to such a tune that no one could hve with tliem beyond 

 that covert except Mr. Drummond Smith, and him we never caught 

 before hounds bayed their fox to ground at Shalesmore. Jumping the 

 stile and gate, the first two fences, and going the wrong side of Mr. Avila's 

 Farm House didn't help matters. I am afraid Mr. G. S. 



I). Cunlifte Smith, eldest son of Sir Charles Cunliffe Smith, 

 inherits all his father's love of hunting- and shooting, and for 

 many years was a devotee of polo, a taste acquired in his 

 Cambridge days. Why the heir to such a rich baronetcy has 

 not yet taken to himself a wife is a matter of considerable 

 surprise even to Essex Benedicks. 



With Mr. Sheffield Neave's Staghounds. — I always say that each 

 time I go out with these hounds the better I like them, and I venture to assert 

 that this was the general consensus of opinion of those who assembled to see 

 them throw off at Moreton on Saturday last. The following are a few of the 

 names of those who were there, in addition to the Master and his first aide- 

 de-camp (Mr. E. Neave) : — Messrs. Harrison, H. E. Jones, E. Ball, Hart, 

 Harris (2), Sewell (2), Elder, Dalton, Oliver, Westall, Steele, D, Gingell, 

 J. Gingell, J. Longbourne, Pemberton Barnes, Foster, and Lines; Major 

 Tait, Captain Nelson, Sir Charles Smith, Miss Oliver, three hard-riding men 

 in neat grey mvifti, and three equally thrusting sportsmen black-coated and 

 top-booted, whose names I did not know. Mr. W. Alger mounted his grey 

 cob just to see the start ; and owing to the serious sickness in his house, his 

 near neighbour, Mr. Daniel Gingell, gave one and all a hearty welcome. 



A fine open piece of country had been chosen for enlarging the untried 

 hind, who gamely struggled for that freedom which she felt within her reach 

 as she sniffed the soft breeze and trod the plebeian plough. But she had 

 not calculated on the dash, courage, and perseverance of the twelve couple 

 of hounds who, ten minutes later, were loosed on her track. Sinking the 

 wind, she scored the first point in the game, and hounds had to put their 

 noses down to puzzle out the line; but staghounds have a wonderful knack 

 of stealing over a country however bad the scent may be, and ten minutes 

 from the start the field had all settled down in their places. Mr. Neave 

 has a capital way of preventing them pressing his hounds, and woe betide the 

 unlucky individual who rides behind instead of their right or left ! 



There was no crushing and jostling for places at the fences — -plenty of 

 time, plenty of room— and a good-natured throng turned to the bridge that 

 spanned the stream below Norton Hall. Running parallel with it almost to 

 the Osiers, they struck across the park. Leaving Norton Hall Farm on our 

 left, we came down to a wire-guarded fence, the Master narrowly escaping 

 it. Crossing the Chelmsford road near Spurriers Farm, hounds ran on fast 

 to Parslow Farm Hall, where, getting on the grass, we soon found ourselves 

 at Blackmore. Leaving Jericho on the left, we bore away for Shenfield, the 

 fences coming fast and thick, much to the delight of Mr. Jones, who, in his 

 usual manner, was showing the way on the right ; while Mr. Ball, on his 

 chesnut mare " Lucy," was piloting a contingent on the left. 



Passing near Mr. Edward Courage's house, we bore away towards 

 Thoby, Avhere a longish check took place ; and a good many, not following 

 the Master in the wide cast he had to make before hitting off the line again, 

 were left behind. Those, however, who stuck to it had the satisfaction of 

 seeing the hounds at their best in a very pretty piece of hunting. Crossing 

 the line, they ran up to their (juarry in the brook not far from Mountnessing, 



