1882] THE FIRST TIME BODEN'S THORNS WAS DRAWN. 87 



Mrs. EatclifF, Messrs. Bird, Buxton, A. H. Colvile, Broadley Smith, Eddie, 

 C. Gumming, Fox, G. H. Allsopp, Bateman, J. B. Wood, R, and L. Hardy, 

 Grossman, Ludlam, H. Levett, Bladon, etc. 



Good sport as has been generally shown with these hounds, the Saturdays on 

 the Forest have been spoilt by fog, frost, rain, and all the elements combined. 

 But on this particular Saturday, Nature smiled on the lawn meet, and we had a 

 thoroughly enjoyable day's sport. Charles, for some reason, only drew the New 

 Inn and the Duchy Goverts at Needwood, both of which were blank ; but in the 

 coverts by the ponds in Byrkley Park, a cheery halloa told us that Mr. Ratcliff 

 had once more a fox for us, and he took us smartly to the left, through Yoxall 

 Park, and through the Foxholes Govert. Leaving Slade's Goppy to the left, he 

 bore for the New Ghurch, smartly to the right, into the park again, where we 

 checked. A brace of foxes being on foot, the body carried the line by BjTkley 

 Lodge, two hounds, Satin and Nihilist, bearing to the left with the fresh fox. 

 We then shaped our course for Rangemore ; but ere we reached this a bend to 

 the left takes us through Holly Bank Govert, and here the pace mends, and the 

 bitches carry the line at a good pace across the Burton road, in front of East 

 Lodge, and, at this point, none are going better than the huntsman, Lord 

 Berkeley Paget, Messrs. Broadley Smith, E. J. Bird, Gumming, M. A. and PL 

 Bass, and half a dozen others. Well across the road by Anslow church we go 

 at a good pace, and here he probably meant the Needwood Covert, but, being 

 headed, or changing his mind, he carries us on by Castle Hayes. Once more he 

 changes, and turning short to the right, he runs us clean out of scent in the 

 happy hunting pastures underlying the venerable ruins of Tutbury Castle, famed 

 as the hunting resort of many of our English kings. Time was over fifty 

 minutes, the extreme point was six miles, and two or three more as hounds ran. 

 Nothing was wanted but blood, and we could well afford to spare this, as thirty- 

 five brace of foxes have cried " capevi," as Mr, Jorrocks has it, and over thirty 

 brace of those have been killed after good runs. 



The Master was not with us, but we shall hope to see him back again ere the 

 season closes, and congratulate him on all the cheery events which have occurred 

 during the memorable season of 1881-1882. 



The Hon. Mrs. Colvile had a most nasty-looking accident, which, however, 

 happily resulted in no serious injury to this popular lady in the Meynell hunting- 

 field. 



Needwood. 



March 7th was the Master's wedding-day, but he was 

 back again at Radburne on the 13th, when he had a most 

 enthusiastic welcome home. On the 15 th he was out 

 hunting at Sutton Mill, and this was an eventful day in 

 more senses 'than one. It was the first time Boden's Thorns 

 was ever drawn — only six weeks after its completion, and 

 they found. It was a vixen, and got to ground. To wind 

 up the day they found a brace of foxes in a tree in Sudbury 

 Park, and ran one — a big dog fox — to ground near Church 

 Broughton. He was bolted, and hounds ran very fast 

 back towards Sudbury. At the very first fence — a big 



