236 LEAVES EROM A HUNTING DIARY 



who grasped the situation at once, as hounds bore down to the river and 

 made for the right-hand ford— and they included Messrs. Pemberton-Barnes, 

 R. Bevan, and McEvans— or to the left — with Mr. Walthani (who viewed the 

 fox and one hound three fields ahead of the pack on his left), Miss Jones, 

 Messrs. Kemp and Sworder, and Captain Wilson— ever got near hounds 

 again for the ne.xt two miles. 



The gate into the ford was mud-bound, but Mr. A. Kemp was off like a 

 shot, and soon had it open. Bearing still left-handed, hounds lanced over 

 the next three or four pastures and crossed the Ongar road. Not a gate or 

 a gap into it, but a stiff thorn fence or rails with a ditch beyond ! Mr. Kemp 

 chose the latter, and recovered himself handsomely on the best of shoulders. 

 Two more grass fields, and only a dozen men anywhere near the hounds, 

 the most prominent being those whom I have already mentioned. Three 

 choking ploughs, it took the leaders all their time to keep near the fleeting 

 pack. A momentary respite near Knightsland Wood, which was passed 

 on the right, and we were making for the Stanford Rivers brook. One at 

 a time, through the ford. Lady Brooke being one of the first half-dozen 

 through, as she had been one of the first to retrieve the river disaster. 



Up to the fence, guarded by a rotten-banked ditch, and single file again ; 

 and so to Nickerlands Lane. Mr. McEvans led out on his good black. 

 Three more fields ; and, forty minutes from the find, hounds w^ere running 

 desperately keen through the big Ongar Park Woods, and, making one or 

 two circles, this grand fox succumbed. A hound run, sir ! For they never 

 required huntsman's aid. I take it to be a three-mile point from Curtis 

 ]\Iill-green to Bois Hall pastures, and from there to Ongar Park Woods 

 another five as the crow flies ; and to do this in forty minutes speaks for 

 itself and of the severity of the run. Hounds being taken home at 2.30 

 requires no further comment." 



Wednesday, P'ebruary 8th, Nasing Common. A very good day indeed. 

 We had a capital spin in the morning with a fox that was making his way 

 into Galley Hills. Mr. Peel was well to the front. After running a ring in 

 the Nasing pastures, we lost our fox near Nasing Coppice ; the going was 

 very heavy. Our second run was even better ; we found a fox in Latton, 

 and hounds ran fast towards Parndon Woods, and then bore left-handed 

 across Rye Hill Common, where they checked ; hitting it off", however, once 

 more on IMarles Farm, they ran very fast over the grass to Shingle Hall; 

 jumping out of the lane, Miss Colvin got her horse in a ditch ; the Rev. G. 

 Ward Saunders, riding " Leisure Hour," stayed behind to help extricate 

 her. Crossing Epping Green Lane w'e ran past Parndon Woods and over 

 the Epping Green road and came to a check in a drain on Mr. Palmer's 

 land ; this gallop was very fast. Just before reaching Epping Long Green 

 Mr. Peel, who was going remarkably well, came down a buster. The third 

 run in the evening w^as the best, iit seq. 



A hot, bright skirmish in the morning through the Nasing pastures 

 with a fox not unacquainted with Galley Hills : and what promised to be a 

 brilliant run in the afternoon from Latton Park was nipped in the bud by a 

 drain near Nasing Park, was a fitting prelude to the run which commenced 

 at 4.15 p.m. from Roydon Springs on Wednesday evening, February 

 8th. Many, with due regard to the capabilities of one horse, had gone 

 home, and those who had been fortunate enough to secure a second found 

 tliat he had had enough before the run was over. Some fifty, perhaps, all 

 told, were there as hounds came away from Roydon Springs, and, taking 



* In this run, Mr. Seymour Caldwell gallantly tried to swim the river, but failed, owing to 

 the boggy landing ; and Mr. Green, who stayed behind to help him out, lost the run. — Ed. 



