214 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. [1895 



The year 1894 finished up with a capital gallop in the 

 Radburne country on December 27th. Every one was full 

 of ride, and the field overrode hounds to such an extent in 

 the early part of the day that they could do nothing. But 

 later on the exuberance of riders and horses toned down, 

 so that when a fox went away from Radburne Rough the 

 pack was allowed time to settle to the line, and away they 

 went, on good terms with him, past Dalbury Woodhouse, 

 back by Pildock AVood, by Radburne Hall, past Dalbury 

 and Bearwardcote, up to Mickleover Manor, where they 

 got up to their fox in the garden. But he slipped away and 

 they hunted him by Bunker's Hill and the Pastures, killing 

 him (a mangy fox) at Normanton after a first-rate hunt of 

 an hour and twenty minutes. 



Then came the longest frost which any one now living 

 is likely to experience, at least, it is to be hoped so. 

 People compared it to the Crimean winter. They did 

 hunt, it is true, on the 20th at Dunstall, in a hurricane of 

 sleet and snow, but it was a miserable day. After that it 

 froze in good earnest for twelve days till January 20th. 

 •On the 21st hounds went to Darley Moor, which is 

 notorious for disagreeable climatic conditions, which on 

 this particular day surpassed themselves. It really was 

 not fit to hunt, and it was just as well that they had a 

 blank day. It started to freeze again and continued till 

 March 9th, twenty-seven days. Still every one said it was 

 about the only frost they enjoyed. There never was any 

 doubt about it. We all know the proverb about hope 

 deferred. Even the most bigoted fox-hunter put on his 

 skates, and every one played hockey on the ice at Sudbury 

 and enjoyed herself or himself to the utmost. 



They hunted later than usual this year on account of 

 the frost, and on April 18th had a rare good gallop with 

 rather an unusual ending. They found at Cross Hays, 

 Hoar Cross, ran over the Deer Park into the Brakenhurst, 

 back over the Deer Park, went in front of Hoar Cross Hall, 

 past the Bath, to the left of Billiard Table Coppice, into 

 Lord's Coppice. Then they ran all through the big woods. 



