126 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. [1835 



Sporting Magazine, January, 1835, p. 253 : — 



Mr. Meynell's hounds are in high force. Their first meet for the regular 

 season was on Tuesday, at Aston-upon-Trent, It being the village feast, there 

 was a large field out, principally brown coats, but with a respectable sprinkling of 

 pink, and a gi-eat consumption of beef and ale before starting. Unfortunately the 

 coverts in the neighbourhood were drawn blank, to the great disappointment of 

 the village belles and their numerous fair friends, who were thus prevented 

 seeing the exploits of their smart beaux, who, doubly inspired, could have 

 stopped at nothing. We found at Arleston Gorse, ran hard for ten minutes 

 towards Ingleby, came to cold hunting, and lost. The Derbyshire gentry are 

 very bad preservers of foxes. I will back their country against any other in 

 England for blank days and long draws before finding. 



Sporting Magazine, May, 1835, p. 3G : — 



A DAY WITH MR. MEYNELL'S HOUNDS. 



Sir, — On Monday last Mr. Meynell's hounds met at Chartley Park, in the 

 county of Stafford, the seat of the Right Hon. Earl Ferrers. We soon found a 

 fox in the Park, which, after a very sharp run of twenty-five minutes, went to 

 groimd. All parties seemed of opinion that it was a bitch fox, except the 

 keeper (who, by the way, is a most excellent preserver), and he begged to dig it 

 out ; and a true sportsman who was out with us desired to have the fox to turn 

 out in another part of Mr. ]Meyneirs country. 



We then proceeded to draw for another fox, and soon found a brace — one of 

 which, a fine old dog-fox, was chopped ; the other ran a short distance and was 

 lost, owing to a great part of the ling in the Park being lately burnt, which 

 prevented all chance of scent. 



It was then proposed to draw Gratwich Wood on the way home. It was now 

 about three o'clock, and many had given their horses a day's work. The wood 

 was drawn very judiciously by Joseph Leedham (the head whip), his father, " Old 

 Tom," not being out. The wood is very tiiin of under-covert, and by Joe not 

 making any noise the hounds got away close to their fox, and went at a 

 tremendous pace back to Chartley, straight through the wood that bounds the 

 Park. Fortunately for the field they got upon a gravel footpath by the side of 

 the Park pales, the Wood and the Park being so heavy no horse could live. 

 The pace may be imagined at this part of the run, when I tell you the hounds 

 beat the horses out of the covert (which is a very strong one) some distance : 

 every one was going as hard as his horse could gallop. Away went the hounds 

 over a very heavy country to Birch Wood Park, through the woods there. The 

 coimtry begins there to improve. The fox crossed the River Blithe, and went 

 near to Leigh Church. We now got into as fine a country as any in England. 

 The hounds still went on at a rattling pace. Some good ones begun now to cry, 

 " Enough ! " but bold Reynard told them, " Not quite yet, for I am come from the 

 Northern Hills, and to them I must return ; " but he little knew what a pack 

 were in pursuit of him ! The hounds now ran faster, if possible, than before, and 

 went in direction of Draycott Woods, but bold Reynard disdained them, and 

 away he went for Huntley Hall. Here the first check occurred, but it was only 

 for a few moments ; he then went away for some large plantations near Dilhorn, 

 tlie seat of E. Buller, Esq., M.P. He was now no doubt getting into his own 



