36 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. [1880 



The following account appeared in print : — 



THE MEYNELL PIOUNDS. 



These hounds had a great day on Thursday, January 8tli. The meet was at 

 Etwall (K. Cotton, Esq.), and, being the day after the Derby ball, there was a 

 very large assemblage, both of horsemen and carnages, at the meet. Amongst 

 others may be mentioned Lord Queensberry, Lord Petersham, Lord and Lady 

 Parker, Lord B. Paget, Colonel Buller, Lord Shrewsbury, Mr. S. W. Clowes, a 

 strong contingent of soldiers from the depot, and many others too numerous to 

 mention, while the fact of Mrs, Langtry being present in a carriage did not 

 detract fi'om the interest of the scene. Very little time was lost before a move 

 was made, and Sutton Gorse was the first covert drawn. In a few minutes a 

 welcome halloa from the north corner proclaimed that he was away. A crowded 

 gateway or two gave the hounds a chance to get away, and, once fairly settled 

 to the line, they ran in good earnest over a very pretty line of country towards 

 Langley, but, unfortunately, being headed, he turned short back, past Sutton, to 

 Burnaston, where a check occurred. Getting on the line again, they ran over 

 the railway at Egginton Junction, where there were some deep fields, which not 

 only delayed the hounds, but caused some grief in the field. One gentleman, in 

 trying to clear the railway fence, " like a bird," found that rails and sleepers are 

 rather hard falling, but as he continued to the end, we hope he was none the 

 worse. After some slow himting near the line, they recrossed it, and getting 

 iOn better terms with their fox on the grass, ran him fast back to Sutton, where 

 he went to ground in a drain almost in view of the hounds, and a terrier being 

 handy, they were rewarded with a richly deserved fox. Time, three minutes 

 under the hour. A move was then made for Radburne, and a fox was soon on 

 foot in the Rough. After a break-away at the far end, he came out almost in 

 the face of the field, and the hounds being close to him, we were away in a 

 moment. Pointing for Sutton, they ran very fast by Dalbury to the Ashe, 

 where a slight check occurred, but soon recovering the line, they ran past Sutton 

 ■church to Trusley, over some splendid country, the pace being very good, and 

 the line nearly straight ; here they bore to the left, and leaving Dalbury Lees to 

 the right, went as if for Longford, but did not go into the covert, and, crossing 

 the brook (which some found deeper than it looked), ran past Barton Park tu 

 Potter's Gorse, where another slight check was rather welcome. From this point 

 they did not go quite so straight, and there is a doubt if a fresh fox was not on 

 foot soon after this, as there seemed to be two lines at Alkmonton. However, 

 Charles Leedham persevered, and, by a brilliant cast, hit ofl' the line again near 

 Bentley ; time up to this point, one hour. From Bentley they ran at a nice pace 

 past the Car to Cubley Gate, as if for the covert, but skirting this shelter, he 

 breasted the hill, and pointed for Eaton Wood ; but bending to the right again, 

 hunted slowly past Marston Park nearly up to the Birchwood Park lime kilns, 

 •where the scent gradually failed, and not wishing to disturb the Snelston coverts 

 so late in the day, the hounds were stopped, after running one hour, forty minutes, 

 without any check to speak of but the one mentioned near Bentley. The distance 

 from Radburne to the place where the hounds stopped is fully nine miles, and, 

 as they ran, considerably over twelve. The country over which they ran is some 

 of the best in Derbyshire, and, though deep in places, was good riding, and there 

 was hardly a single ploughed field in the line. Where so many went well, it 

 would be invidious to make distinctions, but it is only fair to mention that Lord 

 Queensberry was well in the first flight throughout, while Lord Petersham and 



