32 BEST SEASON I EVER HUNTED. 



over the deep ploughs, crossed the Turnpike about the XII. 

 Milestone, ran to Bosworth Gorse, got away after ten minutes, 

 ran over the canal and railway up to Bosworth village — 

 ran him up the street, through some orchards, crossed the 

 Welford Road, over the canal, left Welford on left . . crossed 

 the canal— hounds all swam it — crossed the railway half-a- 

 mile down into Stamford Hall Park, almost to Stamford Gorse, 

 down to the river Avon — an ugly place, one man nearly 

 drowned his horse ; I got well over by a sort of ford, into 

 which the next man got a ducking — passed Lilbourne station 

 on the line by Calthorpe House, over the Rugby and Leicester 

 Turnpike ... up to Coton House, when I fear we changed 

 our fox ; ran through Coton Park . . . down to a brook to 

 Cosford, and they were going up slowly for Bruntingthorpe, 

 when as Goodall's horse was beat, and most of the others also, 

 we thought it best to stop the hounds, after as fine a run as 

 ever I saw of 2 hours 2 minutes. Much disappointed not to 

 kill him, as we had run right through the Pytchley and 

 Atherstone, and got to the borders of the North Warwickshire. 

 We had to take a special train at Rugby for Leicester for 

 hounds and horses, and did not get home till nine o'clock. The 

 longest day I remember. Goodall's horse died at Rugby next 

 day. 



Resume. 



This, in contradistinction to last, has been the best season I 

 ever hunted, the ground being as deep on the 26th March when 

 we finished, as on the 6th November when we began. The 

 only frost we had was from the ist to 8th of March, so that the 

 demand upon the horses has been very severe. I have been 

 unlucky with my own horses, " Black Rep " and " Grey Plum " 

 being knocked out of time before Christmas, and never came 

 out again. Of the kennel horses " King Dan " is almost broken 

 down and must be 'fired ; ' " Oakham" is dead, "Jack Shep- 

 herd " lame, and a variety of other casualties attend both 

 stables. As to sport, we have hardly ever been out without a 

 run ; as to foxes, there have been plenty in the Monday's 

 country — John Ball always holding two or three foxes — 

 owing, I suppose, to its late neighbour being in quod ! 



The foxes have made good points — going from John Ball to 

 Noseley, from Walton Holt to Coton House and Brownsover, 

 so that we almost always had a long journey home on 

 Monday. 



