278 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. [ISG'J 



to go. This must have been between the 10th and the 

 23rd of November, as there was no hunting between those 

 dates. Several good runs occurred before Christmas, but 

 nothing very extraordinary. 



On January 12th they had a very good, fast forty-five 

 minutes from Chartley Moss, by Grindley, Boothy, under 

 Newton village, turned to the right by Swansmoor, Hixon, 

 Hamerton, Shirley Wych, to ground in Sandon Park. 



Bretby, from which there had been such good runs in 

 old days, was by this time clearly out of favour, for the 

 diarist speaks of " a regular Bretby day, running round 

 Repton Shrubs, Hoofing, Levellings, Bretby village, all 

 day. Killed two foxes." 



On January 20th they found in Pipe Wood, ran two 

 or three rings, and then crossed the Blythe. This from 

 the diary, but old Tom used to say he never saw gentlemen 

 so fond of water as Lord Berkeley Paget, Mr. " Dick " 

 FitzHerbert, and one or two more were that day, for 

 when they came to the Blythe, which was in flood, not 

 very far from where the road crosses it going to Blith- 

 l3ury, they must needs ride smack at it. They got over, 

 too, with nothing worse than a splash, where the horses' 

 hind feet lit in the flood water ! 



' Mr. FitzHerbert seemed partial to timber as well that 

 day, according to old Jack Bond, for the latter said he 

 saw him come sailing over a great high gate into the road 

 near Blithbury. There were giants in those days. We 

 do not do those sort of things now. 



At last, on February 2nd, there came a great run — for 

 hounds. No one was with them but Mr. Tomlinson, of 

 Bradley Pastures, and, from the latter's own account, Mr. 

 Sampson of Langley, a very keen follower of the Meynell 

 hounds, who is still with us. This is Mr. Meynell Ingram's 

 account : " Found in Ravensdale Park. Went away very 

 fast by the New Gorse, Halter Devil Chapel, Jarratt's 

 Gorse to Bradley fishponds, by Bradley Pastures, over 

 Atlow Whin, by Hognaston, Hopton, Carsington Pastures, 

 over the High Peak railway to Wirksworth Town end. 



