THE OLD SPORTSMAN S DECLARATION. 23 



and Horninghold to Medbourne, over a very, very strong line. 

 After this we were laid up with five-and-a-half weeks' frost, 

 and when we started again the ground was deeper than ever, 

 and the scent, I think, quite as good. 



Our best day of the season was January 28th, when we met 

 at Gumley, ran from the gorse by Kibworth and Carlton 

 Clump to Glen Oaks in i hour 10 minutes ; a second fox from 

 Shangton Holt by Noseley to Stonton Wood, and pulled him 

 down in 17 minutes; killed a third fox, which I believe was 

 the Gumley fox in Stonton Wood, and found a fourth fox at 

 Glooston Wood, which we ran up to Launde in 50 minutes : 

 thus making out the best day's sport I ever saw. A very old 

 sportsman who was out declared it was the best daj' he had 

 seen for thirty years. 



" Tragedy " got kicked one day at Lawton by Campbell of 

 Frowlesworth, and though she recovered from the blow was 

 good for nothing afterwards. This was almost the only serious 

 casualty we met with. I am well satisfied with my hounds ; 

 they have done their work steadily, and our young entry have 

 done well. " Sailor" is. the admiration of all. The stable has 

 also done pretty well. Of course we have had a good many 

 lame ones, but only one had to be destroyed, viz., "Artillery." 

 Altogether I congratulate myself upon having concluded a 

 very successful season, as well in showing good runs as in 

 killing more foxes than have been killed in the same country 

 for many many years, if there were ever so many killed? 

 I doubt. ' 



The "Skittles" Riot. 



The Master shows his good sense and broad mind by 

 very gallantly refusing to countenance an unmanl}'- and 

 prejudiced attempt to boycot one of the fair sex — disdaining 

 threats and intimidation. To quote his own words : — 



The great topic of dispute has been the "Skittles" riot. A 



certain nobleman , at Hall, taking great objection to 



that young lady, and wishing me to take the hounds home 

 when she came out, and endeavouring to enforce this wish by 

 saying that it was the general wish of the county gentlemen, 

 and that in the event of my not taking the hounds home, I 

 should receive a discharge from his rule [over] the other nou- 



