26 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. [1879 



Diary continued : — 



Friday, February 7th, Elvaston. — No scent, several foxes on foot, but could 

 not catch one. Found two or three at Chellaston, ran to Aston, and lost. The 

 Prince Imperial was with us. 



Saturday, The Kenneh. — Found in the coppice, ran nearly to Cubley Gorse, 

 turned to the right by Bentley, and lost him beyond Alkraonton Bottoms. Drew 

 the Car at Longford, and ran very nicely up to Shirley Park, where we lost our 

 fox in a heavy storm of rain. Came back to Longford, got on a fox that was on 

 the move, ran a ring round by the house, through Hollington and Culland up to 

 Brailsford church, where another heavy storm again stopped us. 



Monday, February 10th, Wychnor. — Blank. Found in the White Wood, ran 

 about, and lost. The same thing, with a bad ringing fox, from Yoxall. Hounds 

 slipped away with a fox from the Brakenhurst, ran through Jackson's Bank round 

 Byrkley Lodge nearly to Rangemore, and killed in Smith's Hills at Dunstall. 

 About twenty-five minutes very fast. 



Tuesday, Norbury. — Chopped one fox in the little covert by Cockshead Lane, 

 ran another down to Sudbury Coppice, where we checked some time, but got on 

 him again and hunted him slowly across the Park to the back of the village, and 

 could make no more of it. We heard afterwards that our fox had lain do%vn by 

 the park fence and went back over the Park as soon as we had gone away. 

 Found at Foston, and ran nearly up to Hilton Gorse, where we stopped the 

 hounds, not wishing to disturb the covert. 



Thursday, Kedleston Toll Gate. — Drew Darley osier-bed blank. Found at 

 Allestree, ran a ring, and to ground in the covert. Found again in Colvile's 

 covert, ran hard up to Breward's Car, and could make nothing more of him. 

 Drew all the other coverts at Kedleston blank. Very wet day. 



Friday, Tutbury Station. — Killed a fox in Hilton Gorse, ran another up to 

 Sutton cross roads and back, fast, along the brook side to Hilton village, where 

 he beat us, and we must have left him amongst the buildings. Found at 

 Egginton, ran a ring, and into Etwall village, where our fox served us the same 

 trick as the last. Went to Foston, found in the covert by the Pennywaste, ran a 

 ring round, back through the coverts, and then on perfectly straight to Boyles- 

 tone ; here our fox turned to the right, and we hunted him down within a field of 

 Potter's (thirty-five minutes) and on to Mamerton, and lost in a storm. Capital 

 day's sport. The first whip hunted the hounds.* 



Saturday, Chartley. — Found in Handleasow Wood, ran hard for a bit, and to 

 ground in a pit-hole. None of the earths stopped ; fresh keeper. Went to the 

 Shaw ; hounds slipped away over Fradswell Heath and ran round by Birchwood 

 Park, and back to Handleasow Wood and Gratwich Wood before we got to them ; 

 then ran hard over the Park and on in the direction of Sandon, where we lost 

 him. We left our beaten fox behind in the Long Ridge Covert, I fancy, as scent 

 changed completely after that, and he had only been just before the hounds across 

 Chartley Park. Wonderful scent all day. 



Monday, February VJth, East Lodge. — Found at Needwood, ran hard by 

 Stockley Park up to Hanbury Park Farm (sixteen minutes), where the hounds 

 divided, part sticking to the hunted fox, and running him to ground, where ho 

 was got out and killed by C. Allsopp, the other half of the pack getting on the 

 heel scent of another fox, and running up to the patch of gorse where he had been 

 disturbed by some men shooting. Went away with a fox from the Plaster Pit 



* Charles Leedham was attending hia uncle's funeral. 



