FIRST ENTRY IN MR. TAILBY S HUNTING JOURNAL. I3 



of unborn fox-hunters — we will hope — will be able to turn 

 for information and guidance. It is, moreover, a monu- 

 ment to the painstaking perseverance of the author, who, 

 however long or great the exertions of the day, never 

 allowed the claims of nature for rest or refreshment to 

 interfere with his self-imposed duty of recording the day's 

 work before he himself retired for the night. Only a 

 privileged few can, however, have the opportunity to read 

 the original text " in extenso," and since Mr. Tailby has 

 kindly favoured the writer by allowing him free access to 

 the use of same, he feels he cannot exercise the privilege to 

 greater advantage than by quoting a few extracts " verbatim 

 et literatim," and cast off with Mr. Tailby's account of his 

 first day as Master. 



1856. 



November 17th. Met at Peatling, Commenced my career as 

 Master of Hounds to-day with a bye-day at Peatling. Servants, 

 Tom Day, Huntsman ; Boxall ? ist whip, Tomlin 2nd whip. 

 Field small ; rode " Stargazer." Found at Peatling Gorse ; 

 hounds ran well, but the fox would not break, and after 

 rattling him about for half-an-hour they killed him at the 

 edge of the covert. Gave the brush to Mr. Smith's wife - 

 the owner of the covert — as being the only lady out. Trotted 

 off to Jane Ball which we drew blank, as also John Ball, 

 much to my chagrin — went on to Walton Holt where we 

 found two or three foxes — got away with one, but not on 

 very good terms, running as far as Walton Village, where we 

 turned to the right by Knaptoft and ran up to Jane Ball, 

 after which we could make no more out of him. Went 

 home better satisfied with our first performance than I 

 expected. 



November 20th. Met at Saddington. Bye-day ; larger field ; 

 rode Cariboo. Found our first fox at Gumley Gorse, and 

 ran into him after running over one field : whilst eating 

 him, another went away for Gumley Wood, but we could do 

 no good with him, the leaves in the wood completely spoiling 

 the scent. Drew Humphreys Gorse, where we found a cub, 

 which went through Laughton Hills and back towards Gumley 

 where he got to ground, and we left him. Drew the remainder 

 of Laughton Hills blank ; also Bosworth Gorse ; our only 



