THE CURTIS MILL GREEN RUN, JAN. 30, '93 



235 



Many hugged the road round the corner, as only a flyer could get them 

 out of the big pasture into the next mead, over which hounds were tearing 

 along, for the hedge was stiff and the gaps were railed. A wide ditch with 

 a green and treacherous landing was tested by Major Carter and accepted 

 by Miss Jones without a moment's hesitation ; and we dashed past the 

 house of Mr. Stiell, who cheerily waved us on. (No fox-hunter himself, he 

 he is one of the many unselfish, non-foxhunting farmers to whom we ow^e 

 so much ; he has acres of grass, and not an ounce of wire have I ever seen 

 on his farm.) 



Crossing the road, out of which Mr. Barnes' good horse flung himself 

 like a rocket, hounds flew down the pastures for Bois Hall. They turned, 

 however, for the fox had been headed, and, re-crossing the road, ran 

 through the plantations at the back of Navestock Hall, and went at 

 Pytchley pace over the next big grass enclosure up to the boundary 

 plantation. 





i'^tm^iitfMiiiiJiiiM^biL 'i&'j.M:-^-^ 



By Navestock Hall and Church 



The ditch was well cleaned out and the stakes on the opposite side 

 neatly trimmed : Lady Brooke was one of the first over. The ride through 

 the covert all that could be desired — good sound galloping for half-a-mile. 

 Well it was so, or we could hardly have hoped to live with hounds at the 

 pace they were going. 



A single rail across the ride brought Mr. S. Pratt to grief, and lost him 

 the place which he had maintained so well. Nearing the end of the covert 

 came the intelligence from the first whip that the fox was over the river. 

 A low rail with a drop out of the wood, and the leaders were racing up to 

 the river brink with the hounds, w^atching them (and hesitating which ford 

 to ride for), as hounds shook their dripping forms on the opposite bank of 

 the muddy stream. Never was the truth of the old proverb, "The man 

 who hesitates is lost," better illustrated than on this occasion. Only those 



