396 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. [1877 



From Lord Waterpark's diary : — 



Thursday, Smallwood Manor. — Found in the middle of the woods ; ran 

 through Lord's Coppice, over by the Hare's Back, through Hart's Coppice, by- 

 Holt Hall, into the Birchwood, went through the corner of it, back over Bromley 

 Park, through the woods into Kingston Woods, or nearly to Ne-vvton, back by 

 Woodcock Heath, into the Park Covert at Loxley, on to Spencer's Pit. 

 and lost. 



Saturday, Fauld. — Found in the Hare Holds — a vixen. Stopped the hounds. 

 Found again in the Greaves ; ran over Agardsley into the Banks at the Swilcar 

 Lawn, out again by Marchington CliiF, along the Banks to the Dog Kennel Wood, 

 over Bagot's Park nearly to Hart's Coppice, over Bromley Park, and killed at 

 Black Gutter Coppice., 



This was a capital wind-up to the season, and remark- 

 able for the way the fox avoided the woods, keeping to the 

 open as much as possible. 



Stopped by frost only five days ; hounds out, one 

 hundred and nineteen times ; foxes killed, thirty -four 

 brace ; ran to ground, twenty-one brace. Killed in regular 

 liunting, seventeen brace and a half. 



XJttoxeter New Era, April 4th, 1877 : — 



For a bit of really good cross-country sport, commend us to a market town in 

 the centre of a good hunting country, where all the farmers are sportsmen, and 

 those who cannot run a horse look on with only the pleasure a sportsman can 

 feel, and with all their hearts cheer the best horse as he wms. . . . Half an hour 

 before time, the well-appointed team of Joe Piatt, Esq., who is well known on the 

 road between Cheltenham and Malvern, was well piloted through the town ; the 

 cheering notes of the horn waking up long-forgotten echoes. Many other good 

 and true supporters of the sport followed, amongst whom were C. Alexander, Esq., 

 S. C. Allsopp, Esq., M.P., C. T. Cavendish, Esq., Col. and Lady Jane Levett, 

 Capt. Levett, A. 0. Worthington, Esq., Lord Ingestre, the Hon. W. Bagot, 

 F. Cotton, Esq., Dr. Mould, Major Worthington, Sir J. Hardy, Sir C. Wolseley, 

 Dr. Fletcher, etc. Nothing could be done well %vithout good men at the 

 head of affairs, and in Mr. C. Bunting,'the Hon. Sec, Mr. Keates, and Mr. Flint, 

 as clerks of the course, the right men were in their right places. Punctually to 

 time, five out of the ten sported silk for the first race, The Draycott Open Hunter's 

 Steeplechase, which was well contested. Strathmore appeared to have the race 

 well in hand, but Rocket, well ridden, finished an easy winner. Next came the 

 Uttoxeter Hunt Steeplechase. Five again started. Lady Rachel was made 

 a hot favourite, and well she carried out the hopes of her backers. Schoolboy, 

 who ran a waiting race to the distance, challenged and momentarily got in front, 

 but youth and want of condition told, and Lady Rachel won easily. To show 

 the interest farmers take in the sport, there were fourteen entries for the Farmer's 

 Steeplechase, nine of which came to the post. Sambo was made favourite, but 

 appeared to have a great objection to start, which he well sustained throughout, 

 as he was never prominent, the race being cleverly won by Lockwood, the Duke 



