A CONDITIONING DAY 



141 



ashamed to look at you ; on Tuesday they were hidden under six inches of 

 snow. We might have known that it was coming on Monday, for it was a 

 rheum-laden wind that blew all day with steady persistence from the N.E. 

 I told you hounds would hunt on Wednesday, the i6th, at Little 

 Laver. In our country they managed it, though the roads were in a very 

 bad state, slippery as glass in places ; but in the Midlands— in fact, in most 

 parts of the country — hounds were unable to take the open before Thurs- 

 day. Those, therefore, who were out on Wednesday at Little Laver Mill 

 had lost no time in getting to work again. From all accounts, they had a 

 very useful day ; just the sort of day, in fact, you want after a long frost, 

 when the ground is in a heavy and rotten condition. Good steady hunting 

 runs in the Brick Kilns, Down Hall, and Takeley country, afforded some 

 capital sport. The huntsman during the day met with what at first 

 appeared a very serious fall over some binders, as he could not move his 







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Little Laver Mill 



neck for some time ; and though, when once more mounted (I don't mean 

 his neck), it must have pained him considerably, he would persist in going 

 on. On Friday, however, when they met at Radwinter he forgot all about 

 it, riding at the tail of his favourite dog-pack for one hour and forty-five 

 minutes, in one of the best and most brilliant runs they have had this 

 season. There was a rare scent all day, and hounds eventually had to be 

 whipped off when running full cry, to enable the staff to catch their train 

 back to Harlow. Unfortunately, very few were out to share this good 

 thing with Captain Bruce. 



The mystery of scent once more illustrated : Wednesday, fair ; Friday, 

 perfect ; Saturday, bad— at least, all those who were at Willingale on the 

 last-mentioned day concur in saying that this was the cause of a very 

 indifferent day's sport— the only item of note being a voluntary cut by a 



