268 LF.AVKS FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



pulled up at the High Woods, hot, and thankful for such a good spin, only 

 lamenting with the fast waning season that we could not expect many more 

 like it. 



Through the sad death of Mr. Theobald, who, though not a follower of 

 these hounds, was universally esteemed and respected, the meet which was to 

 have taken place that week at Dagenham was postponed to the next. 



The annual general meeting was held at the Green Man, Harlow, on 

 Saturday, INIarch 17th, Lord Rookwood presiding. Few were sanguine 

 enough to anticipate the capital gallop that was in store for us — one that 

 (juite upheld the phenomenal sport these hounds have invariably met with 

 on the day of their annual meeting. Last year was, perhaps, the only 

 exception, and that is easily accounted for by the state of the ground. 

 Whether it is the country, the season of the year, or whether Bailey keeps 

 the pick of the kennels for this occasion, I do not pretend to know ; but I 

 venture to prophecy that as long as an Arkwright lives at Parndon the 

 annual meeting will be synonymous with a good day, for the Arkwright 

 coverts and Arkwright foxes are second to none in England. 



The following were present at the meet : — Mr. and Mrs. Bowlby and Mr. 

 Arkwright, Mr. Bevan, Mr. E. Ball, Mr. F. Ball, Mr. and Mrs. Pemberton- 

 Barnes, Mr. Basham, Mr. Benton, Mrs. Bennett, Mr. Bevan, Mr. G. Brown, 

 Mr. G. Buxton and Misses Buxton, Mr. Carr, Mr. Caldecott, Mr. Chaffey 

 Collin, Mr. and Mrs. W^eston Crocker, Major and Mrs. Carter, Mr. and 

 Mrs. Docwra, Mr. P. M. Evans, Mr. Howard Fowler, Mr. J. Gingell, 

 "Sir. D. Gingell, Mr. Green (Parndon), Mr. F. Green, jun.. Dr. Grubb, 

 Mr. G. Gilbey, Mr. George Hart, Mr. J. Harris, Mr. Horner and his boy, 

 Mr. T. R. Hull, Mr. H. E. Jones and Miss Jones, Mr. P. S. Lee, Colonel 

 Lockwood, M.P., Mr. R. Lockwood, Mr. R. C. Lyall, Miss Mann, Mr. T. 

 Mathews, Miss E. Morgan, Miss Oliver, Mr. Oldham, Mr. E. Pelly, Mr. 

 J. Pelly, Mr. L. Pelly, Mr. Patchett, O.C, Mr. and Mrs. Price, Mr. E. 

 Quare and Miss Quare, Rev. L. Scott, "^Mr. J. Sands, Mr. Shapland, Mr. 

 j. Scruby, Mr. G. Sewell, Mr. and Mrs. W. Sewell, Mr. Single, Mr. Drum- 

 niond Smith, Mr. Tyndale White, Mr. A. Waters, Miss Georgie Waters, 

 Mr. W. Westall, Captain H. Wilson, and Mr. A. E. Woodward. 



It was past mid-day before Bailey with the lovely lady pack rapidly 

 threaded his way through the crowd of horse, carriage, and foot folk that 

 thronged the street of the pretty little town of Harlow, and perhaps a 

 quarter past before he cheered hounds into Barnsleys, where the run com- 

 menced for many of us ; for not finding, he slipped quietly off towards 

 Mark Hall. Was it a ruse ? If so, it came off very well ; and the Master 

 piloting us out through the wood, we could see hounds in the distance, just 

 entering the Mark Hall coverts. " It was no time for dallying," as old 

 Johnson says of a man of forty who talks of taking a wife ; and only those 

 who set off at once, at a smart gallop, for Mark Hall were in time to hear 

 the view-halloa away, and to see how quickly Bailey laid the hounds on. 



" One moment, if you please ! " from the Master ; "just let them settle, 

 and then catch them if you can." As they raced over the grass, up to the 

 plantation, near the road, through it, and straight on to the rectory, swing- 

 ing round it, and just touching Vicarage Wood ; one at a time, over the 

 rabbit netting surrounding it, and then down to the left-hand corner of the 

 next fence. If you followed the hounds, and had jumped through the 

 next hedge, you could take a pull at your horse, for the fox, having been 

 headed, hounds were over the line. Quick as thought, Bailey cast them to 

 the left, and, settling down, they ran on at a great pace by Gravel Pit 

 \yood, two narrow hand-gates threading the field out, and sending them, 

 single file, up the headland to Bays Grove, where already Jack was waving 

 his cap as he viewed the fox away to Latton Park. 



