.S6 



LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



jumping it, and Bailey, with a broad and delighted grin on his countenance, 

 enjoining us to hold to the left as hounds crossed the turnpike, are pleasant 

 thoughts that come back to us now. Not so pleasant, the man in a grey 

 coat who came cutting in as we scrambled out of the road up a steep bank. 

 Then bearing left-handed, the field spread out and selected their places in 

 the next fence, which brought at least one man to grief. 



On, up the headland, after Mr. Howard Fowler's good grey, if you 

 would be near them, and we struck the road from the Heath that leads 

 past Row Wood. Right-handed up the grassy lane, a momentary falter, 

 and the pack were racing on again towards Hatfield Grange. Mr. Sheppard 

 was down, getting a nasty kick on the face; Jack caught his horse, and 



Cedric " 



seeing him making good tracks, you could sail on with a clear conscience ; 

 but very possibly at the pace the ladies were going wished you were riding 

 " Correze," " Covertside," or one of the other candidates for the G.N. 

 Turning sharp again to the right, for hounds were fairly pressing their fox, 

 they crossed the Down Hall brook, only Major Carter going with them. 

 Fortunately they turned parallel with us, and we skirted a wire fence and 

 snicked them at the bridge at the bottom of the hill. 



For a few seconds there was some uncertainty which side of the road to 

 select, the Man Wood or Down Hall. It was soon settled as the pack got 

 together, and ran on very fast over some heavy fields to Man W^ood, the 

 Master on " Diana," Mr. Chaifey Collin and Mr. Jones being nearest to 

 them. Here, my friend, if you were well mounted you ought to have put 

 on the steam, for, as events turned out, it was the critical point, the very 

 best part, the cream of the run. A few fields ahead Man Wood loomed up 

 clear and distinct, and experience had taught how often a fox will try every 

 nook and corner of this big covert before facing the open again. Contrary, 



