1859] MR. H. F. MEYNELL INGRAM'S DIARY. 195 



hunting, always beginning with the opening day, which 

 is invariably at Sudbury Coppice. From Hoar Cross the 

 young Squire and Master, Mr. H. F. Meynell, was of 

 course hunting, with his two sisters, Miss and Miss 

 Georgiana Meynell Ingram, and very frequently Captain 

 Boucherett. 



The staff consisted of Thomas Leedham (who was first 

 little Tom, then young Tom, and at last old Tom) as 

 huntsman, Jack Leedham first, and his nephew Charles 

 second whipper-in. The first mention of Jack is on the 

 first page of this diary. "Jack hurt. Trod on by W. 

 Shipton." The Master and the men had about twenty 

 horses between them, amongst them being old Jack 

 Bond's friend, Jasper, and the two heroes of the great run 

 of 1868, Crusader and the Knight (the latter was the one 

 that died). So it is evident that they still had the art 

 of keeping horses going at Hoar Cross. This is all the 

 greater credit to the management, as they had no second 

 horses in those days. 



Sport was fair, but nothing extraordinary occurred. 

 There was a great deal of frost, and they only hunted 

 sixty-two days, killing during regular hunting (there is 

 no account of cubs) fourteen and a half brace of foxes, 

 and they ran seven brace to ground, ending up the season 

 on April 21st in Bagot's Woods. They ran their fox into 

 an oak tree, by the Squitch Oak, from which Captain 

 Boucherett bolted him, and hounds caught him close to 

 Brown's house. 



The following account appeared in the Field, April 

 28th, 1860 :— 



THE LAST DAY OF THE SEASON WITH MR. MEYNELL 

 INGRAM'S HOUNDS. 



On Saturday last a remarkable instance of animal cunning was exhibited at 

 Bagot's Park. After running our fox with an indifferent scent for some time in 

 the coverts adjoining the park, the hounds at length hit him off, some of the field 

 flattering themselves that either Birchwood or Jackson's Bank, or possibly the 

 Brakenhurst or Rough Park, might be his point. However, no such luck was in 

 store, though perhaps an equally interesting finale resulted as a run in the open. 

 The hounds suddenly threw up at the foot of one of the oldest oak-trees in the 



