1826] SPORT IN THE TWENTIES. 99 



middle of the season, which is inserted here to show what 

 current writers said of the sport. 



From the Staffordshire Advertiser, Dec. 9th, 1826. 



THE RUN WITH MR. MEYNELL'S HOUNDS ON DEC. 2nd, 

 FROM BLACK SLOUGH. 



{From a Correspondent.) 



On Saturday last these celebrated hounds had an excellent day's sport, and 

 never perhaps more conspicuously displayed their leading characteristics of 

 turning quick loith a scent and carrying head, as it is technically termed, across 

 a country. After drawing Vicar's Coppice, Elmhurst Wood, and some other 

 coverts without finding, it was determined, notwithstanding the unfavourable 

 state of the weather, not to miss that noted spot. Black Slough Moore, a wild 

 secluded waste, thickly covered with deep heather and long dry grass, extending 

 on one side to the Grand Trunk Canal, and surrounded by sheltering belts of fir 

 trees. It was here picturesque in the extreme, and highly gratifying to the true 

 lovers of the chace, to observe with what quickness, steadiness, and sagacity, 

 each hound tried to find, while the motley pack, drawing into the wind, giadually 

 spread over the waste ; when all at once a fine old fox jumped up from amongst 

 the heath and broke away, with the gallant pack close at his brush, in a direction 

 for Curborough Wood and Fradley Heath, up to Hill Farm, and on to Orgi'eave 

 Gorse. Here, after "hanging" a little in the coverts, he faced "the open" 

 again, away for Elmhurst Hall, crossed Haunch Brook and the Birmingham and 

 Manchester turnpike road. A severe burst along the meadows, leaving Seedy 

 Mill to the left, by Brook End and Longdon windmill, through Jay's Coppice, 

 across the upper side of Armitage Park, away over the Liverpool turnpike road 

 above Brereton village, skirted Brereton Hays, leaving the Marquess of Anglesea's 

 to the left, and on by Startley Head, nearly to the highest part of Cannock Chase, 

 where very heavy storms of snow and rain unfortunately brought the hounds to a 

 check, and this " flying fox " fairly " beat them out of scent," after a very fine 

 run of at least eleven miles. Too much praise cannot be given to this excellent 

 pack of hounds, as they had to contend against bad weather, with every ac- 

 companying disadvantage. There was a very large assembly of sportsmen when 

 the fox was foimd, and a great many horses were much distressed during the run 

 by the pace and the stiffness of the fences, so much so, that after a severe struggle 

 for precedency, over this deep and difficult country, we were only able to notice 

 four persons (besides the huntsman and one whipper-in) fairly "placed" with the 

 hounds, viz. : Sir Thomas Salusbury, on that well-known horse Waxlight, by 

 Waxy, late the property of Captain Edward Meynell, of the 10th Royal Hussars, 

 and now belonging to George Walmsley, Esq., of Foston House, Derbyshire ; 

 Mr. H. M. Chadwick, on his favourite mare ; Mr. Hawkes, jun., of Norton Hall, 

 on " a thoroughbred one ; " and a Member of Sir Richard Sutton's Hunt, out of 

 Lincolnshire, on a visit at Mr. Meynell's, whose name we could not learn. 



P.S. — It gives us much pleasure to find that the IMaster of the Pack is fast 

 recovering from his slight attack of lumbago, and that he will very shortly again 

 be able to ride to his hounds. 



This sounds very fine, but the diary dismisses it with 

 " a very bad rainy day." Both accounts evidently refer to 



