400 LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



Almost at the same time he received information of her 

 being- much nearer home in a wood a few miles from Ingate- 

 stone. Proceeding to this he slotted her in, and hastily sending 

 out a dozen telegrams to his nearest supporters, about mid-day 

 took the field in search of the noble consort of the King of the 

 West. But at the first sound of the horn from the sanctuary 

 of Horsefrith Park she had flown. 



" Like a storm-driven cloud, like a hawk on the wing, 

 Like a shaft from a bow, like a stone from a sling, 

 How she shoots over bracken and boulder and ling — 



They may gallop their best ! 

 But the horse and his rider shall labour and strain, 

 The rowel be reddened, and tightened the rein, 

 And the staghound shall droop ere a furlong he gain 

 On the Queen of the West." 



G. Whyte Melville 



Making straight for P'^orest Hall, she emerged from Roding's 

 limpid tide, keen and refreshed, and for many a weary mile 

 hounds sped on in pursuit. Past Ongar's busy town, Bobbing- 

 worth's peaceful hamlet, and by many a quiet homestead, the 

 chase went on, and one by one the pursuers dropped ofT. 

 Leaving North Weald behind, hounds reached the Forest close 

 behind their quarry, and with only one attendant left, besides 

 the Master and his second whip (Mr, Brindle unfortunately 

 being laid up with an acute attack of pneumonia), for a few 

 brief minutes she managed to elude the hounds, but a ringing 

 view halloa from keeper Little brought them on her track, and 

 she broke covert in full view across the Epping Links, where 

 four pink-clad golfers were contending in a hot foursome. 



Throwing down their niblicks, cleeks, and putters, they 

 joined in the chase. How could they help it .^ Hadn't three 

 out of the four started in pursuit of this very deer upon Tuesday 

 last, and now they were to be seen flying across country at a 

 pace no unhorsed pinks had surely ever footed it before, as 

 leaving the plain behind, the hounds ran on close to their 

 quarry by W^intry Wood, and coming up to her in a pond on 

 Mr. Trim's farm, she was taken — after having afforded another 

 good run of an eleven or twelve-mile point. The Master was 

 delighted, so was Mr. Giles, the only other mounted man up 

 besides the whip. So were brothers Sewell (three). " Lady 

 Chelmsford " is one of Mr. Neave's best deer, and he 

 wouldn't have lost her for ^40. Over our tea and cigarettes 

 the battle was fought again, and the hounds went home in a 

 light cart, packed as tight as sardines in a box. 



