130 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. [1886 



Many people will remember the excellent gallop from 

 Wichnor, on February 20tli, when they ran by Yoxall 

 Lodge, through the Brakenhurst (when half the field got 

 left behind), over the Hoar Cross deer park, and the brook, 

 where Charles, who had been going splendidly on a black 

 four- year-old, cut a clean voluntary on landing. From 

 Hoar Cross they ran to within one hundred yards or so of 

 Blithe Moor (Blithfield), turned sharp back left-handed, 

 to ground at the foot of St. Stephen's Hill, hard by, after 

 a capital hour and three-quarters. 



But it is quite impossible to mention half the good 

 runs of this extraordinary season. Only a few specimens 

 of the sport can be given briefly, or this volume would 

 never come to an end. 



The 24th of March deserves to be mentioned as being the 

 first day that " Squire " Chandos-Pole hunted the hounds 

 he had just brought from Ireland. There had been close on 

 a month's frost, and every one was hungry for hunting. 

 The meet was at Eadburne, and they had a fair day, the 

 critics differing, as usually is the case, some saying the 

 hounds worked very well, others that they were a bit 

 wild. All agreed that they were as keen as mustard. 



The Master, who knew as much about a fox as the fox 

 knew about himself, hit on a novel contrivance for ousting 

 foxes from the trees which they frequented in Sudbury 

 Park, viz. fastening a bell to a long pole, and ringing it 

 in the hollow trees and branches. 



In the evening of April 1st, those who had not gone 

 home were rewarded by a splitting ring with an outlying 

 fox on Mr. Charles Cumming's farm at Foston, nearly to 

 Marston -Montgomery, and back to Sudbury Coppice. 



The last day of the season was at Bretby, on April 

 22nd, which was late, to make up for all the stoppages. 



A special meeting of the subscribers was held at the 

 St. James's Hotel, on Friday, April 16th, 1886, under the 

 presidency of the Hon. E. Coke, for the purpose of hearing 

 a proposal from the Master of the Hunt as to the future 

 hunting of the country. There was a large attendance, 



