FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 95 



At half-past eleven the hounds moved off to draw 

 one of the coverts which I rented sloping to the 

 river Avon, and instantly a brace of foxes were on 

 foot ; one went away over the park with the hounds 

 very handy to him ; raced over the water meadows 

 up to Fittleton village, then he set his head 

 straight over the downs until turned by a team 

 of horses at work, and was caught in the open 

 close to the village of Upavon. The pace was 

 pretty good, distance five miles, and time thirty- 

 five minutes. 



Found another fox almost directly in a turnip- 

 field; gave him a good dusting for twenty-five 

 minutes, and lost him in a storm near Wilsford. 



We then trotted off a couple of miles to draw 

 Chirton Gorse, a capital covert on the hills, but a 

 deluge of rain brought matters to a close for this 

 day ; the doghounds were out (nineteen couples), 

 and I thought they did very well in rather wild 

 weather. 



Monday, Nov. 29. — Met at Wilbury, always 

 a favourite down meet, especially of late years, 

 since the old place became the residence of the 

 Hon. Percy Wyndham, M.P., a kind and hospitable 

 friend to all around. A fine still morning, and 

 eighteen couples of bitches stood in the park until 

 11.30, where some seventy horsemen and half a 

 dozen ladies had assembled. Everyone was of 



