23S LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



the line through Pinnacles, ran on at a great pace towards Parndon. The 

 brook was conveniently bridged, and the fences could be jumped six abreast. 

 As we reached the road near Parndon Hall, a holloa was heard in the 

 park, but hounds were too keen to get their heads up, and turned sharp 

 to the right with their fox. Over two quickset hedges, and a scramble in 

 and out of the Hare Street Lane, hounds kept racing on down the plough 

 to Todd's Brook at the bottom. Once over it, they were much inclined to 

 turn left-handed, and several sportsmen did the same, only to find that 

 the leeway they lost could never be made up, for, coming to a slight check, 

 Bailey held them to the right again. Hitting it off, they ran diagonally 

 across three sown ploughs — beans and clover, heavy going, but light, 

 easy fences, well within the scope of a pony — up to Harris' brook. 



A youthful rustic had by his enthusiastic holloa turned our fox, and 

 hounds went up the ridge and furrow at right angles to the brook; but 

 owning it up the next headland, commenced to run again at a great pace. 

 A boggy sort of ditch, flown in places and crept in others, decided our place 

 in the run for the next two miles. Bearing down hill to the quickset fence 

 at the bottom, Mr. Buxton sent his horse along with a good lead on 

 the right, the huntsman. Jack, Mr. E. Ball, and Mr. Arkwright being in 

 close attendance. Four or five more grass fields and we reached the road 

 near Parndon Wood. Not a second did hounds dwell ; and here we had 

 some of the best houndwork of the run, for they raced on through the whole 

 extent of these big woodlands, making them echo again and again with 

 their musical chorus. The rides were heavy, and the two ploughs between 

 the woods most frightfully sticky ; but near hounds it is wonderful how a 

 horse that is blown will keep pegging away. Far better then, Mr. Barnes 

 and Mr. Sewell, had you stuck to the little band whose names I have 

 mentioned than turned away to the Rye Hill Road. The going was good 

 between the wire netting and the boundary of the top wood, as in single 

 file we reached the open. Two strangers — one in a neat- fitting habit, the 

 other pink clad — were with the leaders as they left the woodlands behind. 

 The huntsman's horse beginning to feel the effects of the pace, a small 

 ditch brought him down. Over Mr. Burchell's land, and we jumped in and 

 out of the road on to the Nasing Lodge Farm, running steadily over the 

 grass fields and striking the Common, over which hounds flew along. Mr. 

 Gerald Buxton leading in their wake, followed by Mr. E. Ball and four 

 others, reached the coppice with the hounds, and galloping their best, were 

 just in time to see them come away and run on towards Harold's Park. 

 Before reaching the avenue they turned right-handed, and carrying a slow 

 line on to the common, came to a check near Nasing Park. They had 

 been running some 50 minutes, so no wonder most of the horses, including 

 the huntsman's, were done to a turn ; although Bailey persevered for 

 some time longer in the hope of picking him up. The dozen survivors 

 of the fray — and they included three ladies, Miss Tait, Miss Georgie Waters, 

 and Miss Richardson — with the Rev. J. Pemberton, were not sorry to turn 

 their horses' heads homewards, with the reflection that such a good fox 

 has escaped.* 



By the kind invitation of Mr. Flux, Mr. Edward Barclay's Harriers met 

 at Coopersale Hall on Saturday, February 18. To meet the Master came 



* Had three horses out this day, and gave each of them a turn, which no doubt 

 inspired the following lines of Bevan's : — 



".Vnd Yerburgh thinks how cunning he 

 To post his second horse at three ; 

 Yet when to fence that horse demurred 

 He almost wished he had a tliird.'' 



