20 A GOOD NINE-MILE POINT. 



Rolleston Wood, Ilston Spinney, Norton Gorse, Houghton-on- 

 the-Hill, Thurnby, Evington to Stoughton. Rode "Ballinkeele" 

 and " Conjura." 



January 13th. Met at Norton Gorse ; bye-day. Ran from Stonton 

 Wood to Scraptoft Gorse in 50 minutes, a good nine-mile 

 point. 



January 26th and 28th. Hard frost, could not hunt, 



January 31st. Met at Knossington ; found at Ranksborough ; 

 crossed the Langham Road and went on for Whissendine, but 

 the field were so wild, and over-rode the hounds to such an 

 extent that they never got settled on to their fox, so we left him 

 and went back to Exton Park for another. Found immediately, 

 ran by Ladywood, leaving it on the right, bore to the left almost 

 to Braunston, over the road and up to Brown's Coppice ; here 

 we hung a few minutes, and then went on to Price's Coppice, 

 straight through it, and we ran with a middling scent almost 

 to Riddlington, and thinking the fox had gone forward to 

 Manton Gorse we trotted on to that covert, and they spoke to 

 a fox immediately ; ran quick over the brook almost up to 

 Preston, where he beat to the right and ran up to Ayston, 

 leaving the village on the left, through Ayston Spinney to the 

 left, over the turnpike into Wardley Wood, once round it, and 

 at the top by Wardley village, over the brook into Alexton, 

 straight through it, away for Vowe's Gorse, headed, turned to 

 the right, over the turnpike to the left, the bridge, over 

 Loddington brook and up to Loddington village, where 

 hounds and horses being tired we gave him up. I expect he 

 got to ground at Loddington Hall ; it was i hour 30 minutes 

 from Manton Gorse, and one of the severest days for horses I 

 ever knew, and I much regret to say poor " Gamester," that I 

 rode, died after it from inflammation. He was a good horse, 

 and the only one I have that never gave me a fall ! He 

 carried me so well that I shall always regret him, and mourn 

 his loss. He died on Sunday morning, February 5th. 



Very Early Litter of Cubs. 



March 15th. Found a litter of six cubs in the Frisby gravel pits 

 whilst digging for our run fox ; we put them to their mother, 

 and she carried them all away to another earth the same 

 night. 



