156 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. [1888 



This was a five-and-a-lialf-mile point in forty minutes, 

 very fast all the way, and at the end were Captain 

 " Bertie " Philips, Messrs. Roden, Fort, Gwynne, Fox of 

 Elmhurst, Dudley Fox, Ames, Hamar Bass, and Sir Charles 

 Nugent. The latter was one of the best riders and fairest 

 sportsmen that ever rode over the Meynell country. 



On the afternoon of the 8th they were thinking of 

 going home, as there was nothing else to draw, when Mr. 

 Bird, who was riding a four-year-old, suggested that they 

 should try Rough Park. He was rather jeered at for his 

 pains, and Mr. Kempson said that he, for one, should go 

 home. What chance was there of finding, when they had 

 been there only four days previously 1 They did find, 

 though, and a rare gallop they had, the four-year-old 

 taking his part manfully. Finding in exactly the same 

 place where they had found on the Tuesday, away they 

 went by Yoxall village, through the Brakenhurst, to the 

 right of Byrkley Lodge, through Kingstanding, past Par- 

 son's Brake, New Lodge, Hanbury, down the hill, to ground 

 at Coton. Mr. Kempson will never forget how astonished 

 he was, when he arrived home, to find a group of people, 

 with red faces and steaming horses, discussing the run and 

 his port at the same time. 



From December 30th to January 9th there was a frost. 

 On February 7th, when hounds came to Elvaston, the fox 

 was run over by a luggage train, which, it will be readily 

 acknowledged, was an unusual event. 



On March 2nd there was a good run in the afternoon 

 over some of the best of the Staff'ordshire country, from 

 Yoxall Lodge, by Hollyhurst, right-handed by Longcroft 

 Hall, by Yoxall village, through Rough Park, nearly to 

 Hamstall Ridware. Then they ran up the brook side, 

 crossed the Hoar Cross and Abbots Bromley road, througli 

 Birchwood and Chantry Wood, into the Brakenhurst, 

 where a good many people got left behind, out again for 

 Byrkley, back into the Brakenhurst. Going away again, 

 they were still running over by Bromley Hurst, when 

 Charles stopped them, as all the horses were tired. Lord 



