1872] FIRST OF THE GREAT LOXLEY RUNS. 329 



after being headed several times, went away by Walton Wood up to Lullington, 

 where he went to ground. Found several foxes in Homestall Wood, ran one to 

 Lullington to ground, Colvile having suddenly taken objection to having the 

 earths stopped. Found again in the covert below Walton Hall, but could not 

 do much. Plenty of foxes all over this country. I was not out, having gone to 

 Hugby to try and buy a horse. 



Monday, December 9th, Sudbury Coppice. — A brace of foxes went away at 

 once, one turned back to the Bottoms, the other, which we hunted, went by 

 Vernon's Oak, leaving Cubley village to the left, up to Bentley Hall, where we 

 checked. There was a great deal of snow on the ground, and up to this point — 

 twenty-five minutes, very fast — the hounds ran clean away from us. Went on to 

 Bentley Car, where the hounds showed a line into the covert, but whether or not 

 our run fox I cannot say. A brace of foxes here. One went away towards 

 Longford, the other tried to do the same, but was headed in the road, thence 

 back through the covert, went almost down to Cubley village, within a field of 

 Cubley Gorse, up to Marston Park, and down to Marston village ; here three 

 couples of hounds got forward, and we had to hunt slowly up to them, to Cubley 

 Stoop, when we turned to the right, back by Vernon's Oak, across the Ashbourne 

 and Sudbury road, doAvn the meadows to Boylestone, where the fox jumped up 

 before the hounds, and they raced him for five fields up the brook side towards 

 Cubley, and killed him. Capital day's sport. Just thi-ee hours from the time we 

 found at Sudbury. 



Tuesday, December 10th, Dunstall. — Very thick fog. Could not draw till 

 twelve, and even then it was not really fit to hunt. Found a fox, and walked 

 after him for about an hour, when the fog came on so thick again that we were 

 obliged to go home. Not a particle of scent. 



Tliursday, December 12th, Langley Fark. — Frost. 



Saturday, December lUh, Chartley. — Frost., 



Monday, December 16th, Marston-on-Dove. — Very thick fog. Waited till 

 twelve, and then drew Hilton Gorse. A fox was halloaed away over the brook, 

 as the hounds went into the cover ; some time before we got them away, as they 

 were running another fox in the cover ; ran down to Sutton and lost close to the 

 Mill, the third fox we have lost in the same place. Drew the Spath and Potter's 

 cover blank. Trotted on to Foston, and drew all the covers there without find- 

 ing a fox, but found one by the icehouse at the back of the kitchen garden. Kan 

 over the road towards the Foston Woods and on as if for Barton, but turned to 

 the left by Sapperton and into Sudbury Park; twenty- five minutes. Here the 

 scent was very bad, and after walking after him slowly round the Park we gave 

 it up, as it was late,, and the scent got worse every minute. 



Tuesday, December 11th, Bretby. — Blank day ! 



Thursday, December 19th, Radburne. — Certainly three, if not four, foxes in 

 the Rough, but the scent was so very bad that we could do nothing. A brace of 

 foxes in the Nursery, and result the same. Trotted down to Newton's osier-bed, 

 found a fox, but could not run him above a couple of fields, and the hounds 

 turned back. Got on the line again, however, and walked after him to Sutton 

 Gorse, through which he had evidently passed. No fox in the large gorse. 

 Found in the Ash (or else got up to the fox we had been hunting from Newton's 

 osier bed), went away towards Trusley, where he bore to the right as if for Rad- 

 burne, but, instead of going there, he went along the brook-side up to Etwall, 

 through Hilton town end, just below the gorse, where he began to run like a 

 beaten fox, crossing and recrossing the road, the hounds himting beautifully, and 

 so up to Sutton village, and here it got so dark that we had to stop the hounds, 



