344 



LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



any amount of hunting, his good seat, fine hands and iron nerve 

 bringing his services into much request by many a purchaser of 

 a new horse fresh to the country — a huntsman might have 

 voted him too keen if he hadnt been a soldier. When I last 

 heard of Captain Bruce he had obtained his majority and was 

 starting a pack of foxhounds in China 



Mrs. C. D. Bruce on "Roy" 



The Bishop's Hall coverts were drawn blank — the first time this season, 

 causing as much, if not more, disappointment to the Colonel and his keeper 

 West as to anyone else. We found at once, however, as we always do, 

 in Mrs. Mcintosh's gorse, a leash ! at least, a brace going away for the 

 Forest. There appeared to be a capital scent at first, and it was quite as 

 much as horses could do to live with hounds, over the heavy-ploughed 

 fields that lead up to Hogg Hill. These— and going one at a time over a 

 fordable place in the inevitable brook, which Bailey discovered (for none, I 

 think, followed I\Ir. Tufnell, who fairly flew it from bank to bank) — tailed 

 the field out considerably. In ten minutes we were within a field of Mr. F. 

 Green's house, and turned back towards the Forest, the fox being in view — 

 in and out of a scratchy plantation ; they entered the Forest, where for 



