1826] THE GREAT RUN TO ULVERSCROFT ABBEY. 97 



covert held more thau one fox, although the hounds had apparently run through 

 it. Hence the observation seemed correct, that, though Mr. Meynell's hounds 

 are uncommonly fleet, they do not appear to draw well. Moreover, the morning 

 was far advanced, which, of course, made the drag more difficult to recognize. 

 However, from a conviction that the covert had not been well drawn, the hounds 

 were thrown in a second time, and Renard was halloaed off immediately. It was 

 about twelve o'clock when the fox broke. Though the dogs were close at him, 

 he flourished his brush as a token of defiance, and went away as if he meant to 

 run. He set his head in the direction of the straggling village of Ticknall, and 

 afterwards turned to the left, making his way, by Melbourne coppice, over the 

 township of Breedon to the Cloud Wood. In it there are remarkably strong 

 earths, which, I apprehend, were not stopped ; yet Renard did not remain here. 

 On the contrary, he passed by Spring Wood to Osgathorpe, and, leaning to tlie 

 left, and crossing the low wood on Charnwood Forest, made away in the direction 

 of Gracedieu Tollgate to Mr. Cropper's cottage, and, passing the rough, strong, 

 and rocky covert of Gracedieu Park. Here he turned to the left, crossing Chain- 

 wood Forest, to Sharply Rocks. I now concluded he would endeavour to shelter 

 himself in these almost inaccessible fastnesses, where I have seen foxes repeatedly 

 stop for refuge when hard run, though they frequently lose their lives over the 

 manoeuvre. For, notwithstanding the numerous holes which the crevices in the 

 rocks afford, there is not one from which a fox may not be drawn. However, 

 this gallant chace did not stop, but made away over the Forest in the direction 

 of Charnwood village, leaving which, to the left, he stretched away for the strong 

 covert of Bardon Hill, the shelter of which he also disdained, and, leaving the 

 village of Whitwich to the right, crossed the Bardon grounds for Shaw Lane, 

 Markfield, by Steward's Haywoods, to Newtomi, whence he directed his course 

 to Bradgate Park, where Lord Stamford's foxhounds were formerly kept, passed 

 the mouldering ruins known by the name of Ulverscroft Abbey, and was killed a 

 little distance beyond them, after a most extraordinary run of two hours. The 

 distance compassed must have been twenty-five miles, and, though this fox was 

 pursued by one of the fleetest packs of hounds in England, they did not reach 

 him till he had absolutely fallen down from mere exhaustion. The mode in which 

 the fox ran was singular, as I have already mentioned. It is highly probable, 

 being a dog fox, that he had rambled from Mr. Osbaldeston's Hunt, in which he 

 was killed, to the place where he was found by Mr. Meynell's hounds. 



A Constant Reader. 



In au account in the Derby Mercury of this same 

 capital run, the writer ends up with — 



We understand from those gentlemen who were able to keep within distance 

 of the hounds that they never came to a fault or check during the whole run 

 which could not be computed in a direct line at less than seventeen miles. 



There is rather a curious fact recorded in this year of 

 how one of the woodmen of Mr. E. Cope had occasion to 

 climb up a spruce fir tree in Longford Car for the purpose 

 of attaching a rope to its summit prior to its being felled. 

 When he was about two- thirds of the way up the tree, he 

 saw a fine fox, which immediately jumped to the ground 



VOL. I. H 



