108 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. [1826 



still more extensive Spring Wood ; at no great distance is Oakley Wood, to say 

 nothing of the minor covers near Donington and Melbourne Parks. When a fox 

 is driven from one he makes for another, and, unless they can force him across 

 the Trent, there is seldom much good running. The foxes frequently attain a 

 considerable age in this neighbourhood, as I found, upon inquiry, that many grey- 

 faced ones were occasionally recognized. One of these old gentry led the hounds, 

 at the latter end of last season, twice across the Trent. It was not without much 

 difficulty that he was originally forced to cross the river just mentioned, and 

 finding his pursuers gaining upon him, renard turned again, made for his own 

 country, recrossed the Trent, but perceiving it impossible to reach his own 

 abode, he entered the town of Melbourne, which he was not able to leave, but 

 seeking shelter in a privy, he was there run into and killed, after a chase of 

 uncommon length and severity. — Sporting Magazine, December, 1825. 



The same, 1826 : — 



On the 3rd of January, the fixture for Mr, Meynell's hounds was Kedleston, 

 and I therefore moved to within about four miles of the place the day before, and 

 took up my quarters at the Bell Inn, Derby. . . . 



The writer arrives at the meet at 10.30, with grave 

 doubts as to whether the frozen state of the ground will 

 admit of hunting. He goes on to say — 



The hounds, I apprehend, arrived the evening before, as the kennels (Hore 

 Cross Hall, Needwood Forest) are situated at a considerable distance. ... I 

 had been informed by a gentleman who attended them, that these were the 

 swiftest hounds in England. It frequently happens that sportsmen who are in 

 the habit of hunting with a particular pack, become very partial to it, and are 

 apt to speak rather as they wish than as they know. If I was allowed to form a 

 decided opinion on the subject, I should place the Quorndon pack of bitches at 

 the top of the list on the score of speed, and very probably Mr. Meynell's might 

 rank the second. As fox-hounds, Mr. Meynell's dogs are not large — nay, they 

 are considerably smaller than the generality of the Yorkshire hounds, than the 

 Duke of Rutland's, those of the P^arl of Londsdale, Sir Henry Mainwaring's, or Mr. 

 Osbaldeston's, his bitch pack excepted. But they are high-bred, and I soon 

 became well convinced that they deserved the high character that they had 

 acquired for speed, though not well calculated, I should suppose, for hunting 

 a cool scent. 



Mr. Meynell appeared with his hounds, not, however, as huntsman, that office 

 being performed by an active veteran, who had spent his life in the family, and 

 who for more than twenty years had acted as coachman to Mr. Meynell's mother. 

 Two of the sons of this man assisted him as first and second whippers-in, so that 

 it might be said to be a family concern. We proceeded to Kedleston Hall, 

 from which a very fine young man came and mounted a beautiful hunter, which 

 was waiting to receive him. It was Sir Roger Griesley, Bart., of Drakelowe, near 

 Burton-on-Trent, son of the late Sir Nigel Bowyer Griesley, descended from the 

 celebrated Norman Rollo. 



The hounds and the assembled sportsmen proceeded down the Park in 

 the direction of Ravensdale Park, into which the hounds were thrown at 12.20. 

 For several minutes all was anxious expectation. No tongue spoke to a scent, 



