'54 



LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



when hounds were thrown into the Bower Wood. At the first cheer of the 

 huntsman, a bold, straight-necked fox took his departure ; but not unseen, 

 as the echo of Bailey's horn to the lusty " Holloa ! " at the far end of the 

 wood brought the dog pack out right on his heels. Away over the two 

 grass fields with the drop fence at the bottom, they swung up the hill, 

 threading a narrow plantation, and were over the rail-guarded park. Bailey 

 and Mr. Collin were off simultaneously, struggHng with the fastenings of 

 two gates. Twenty-five seconds accomplished one, thirty the other, and we 

 raced over the park to catch the leading hounds, three couple of which had 

 gone clean away from the rest. 



The line was over a heavy wheat field, and not many followed the 

 huntsman, but held down the road or turned in with Mr, Collin and others 

 to the plantation, through it, and out on the road. 



Bedfords 



The hounds got together as we turned over a quickset fence to the left, 

 and galloped down a narrow meadow to a thick thorn fence, which the 

 leaders, suspicious of a hidden wire, were carefully refusing. It was easily 

 turned, and I can only note that the fences came thick and fast, that there 

 was no time for picking and choosing, and that Bailey got off well with the 

 loss of his cap as he led us over a trappy double into a road. A heavy 

 field, upon which I, for one, devoutly hope that the next time we cross it the 

 draining operations will have been completed, brought horses to a trot. 



To the right of the plantation with Mr. Pemberton-Barnes was the best 

 line, but lost you a brook to your credit, for we got it nicely bridged. And 

 then a steady pull up hill, with a real Essex bank at the top — not a weak 

 place to be seen ; no, not after Mr. Collins' and Mr. Sewell's horses had 

 airily scaled it. One or two more heavy fields, then another road, and we 

 struck the grass beyond and raced down to the railway, reaching it half way 

 between Harold Wood and Brentwood Stations. The approach to an 



