MR. E. BARCLAYS HARRIERS, 93 239 



Mr. H, J. Miller and his son, Mr. T. J. Mills, Mr. Willis and his nephew, 

 Mr. Gingell and Master B. Fitch, Mr. Gerald Bu.xton and his sister, Mr. 

 H. Fowler, Mr. G. Dawson (riding a pony, but what a pleasure to see him 

 in the saddle once more), Mr. Pease, Mr. C. Pelly, Mr. Dent, Mr. E. 

 Oliver and his sister, Mrs, Redwood, Mr. Westall, and, on foot, Mr. Flux 

 and Mr. Patchett, Q.C., and old Hurrell — not a large field, but one and all 

 imbued with a keen love of hound work. 



A very smart little pack are Mr. Barclay's Harriers, whipped in by 

 yotmg Hurrell, who for so many years did the same when his father was 

 carrying the horn for the late Mr. Vigne. We noticed, however, that he 

 was not there on Saturday. Got a day off to be married, we heard. 



After trying Mr. H. J. Miller's and some of the Garnish Hall fields, a 

 move was made over the road to Mr. A. Pegrum's farm ; it was decided to 

 stake everything on the certainty of binding on Mr. James Smith's land, 

 with the possibility of having to whip off if the hare made for the coverts — 

 for Mr. Barclay is a great stickler for not disturbing a covert. Our hopes 

 and fears were both realised, for we found a hare at once, but, making for 

 the woods, hounds had to be stopped. Then, more fortunate in a ploughed 

 field near Hill Hall Farm, hounds got away on grand terms with a fine 

 hare. She had no time for twisting or turning, but went away like a dart. 

 Three or four (including the Master) who were riding left-handed were 

 cornered at starting by a thick and very un-Essex looking blackthorn fence ; 

 but Mr. Gingell took the initiative by charging up a bank to the left, and 

 so turned it. Hounds, in the meantime, had not waited for anyone, so 

 those who had gone right-handed had it all to themselves in and out of the 

 plantation on the top of the hill. Dawson ! you had doctor's orders not to 

 jump a stick ! Why did you persist in ramming that cob through after 

 hounds, as in the teeth of almost a gale of wind they swept down the long 

 grass fields to the brook at the bottom, not jumpable where hounds 

 crossed it. 



The right-hand contingent, led by the Master and Mr. Pease, were 

 again fortunate, as they hit off a convenient bridge, and, galloping a couple 

 of hundred yards down the road, nicked in as hounds crossed it, and raced 

 up the long clover-sown fields of Mr. Mills's. 



How we on the left, again, cursed our luck or judgment ! Yes, Mr. 

 Dent and IVIr. Buxton, you were both there; and I make no apology for 

 mentioning your names, for was I not, with the whip, in the same plight ? 

 and I am afraid that if hounds had not come to a check in another mile we 

 should never have seen them again. But that run was over — a fast and 

 glorious burst while it lasted. Where that hare went to will always be a 

 mystery to me, for Mr. Barclay cast all round the compass without hitting 

 off her line. 



But there was no mystery about the next hare, for after running her 

 hard and fast for forty-three minutes, and after some of the prettiest hound- 

 work I have ever seen, hounds ran into her ; and Mr. Avila, on whose farm 

 she was found, was in at the death, in time to be presented with the fine 

 Jack hare that had afforded us so much sport. But at the risk even of 

 boring those who took part in that good run, I will jot it down more in 

 detail. Mr. Pease was the first, I believe, to get a view of her as she 

 scudded over a large wheat-field, and with " 'ware wheat, gentlemen," we 

 divided right and left to gain the headlands. Mr. Pease, riding the horse on 

 zi'hich he ivon the Cleveland point-to-point, scrambled into the road on the right 

 and dived boldly into a farmyard. 



It is easy enough to get into a farmyard, but not always so easy to get out. 

 But not a gate was fastened, so we all emerged in safety, and, jumping a 



