1896] THE GREAT HILL RUN TO ELTON. 223 



faced due north, and about half the field, with Charles, had to lead down tlie 

 precipitous hillside. At Bradbourne Hall our fox had scaled the high wall next 

 the road, where only a few of the hounds could follow. Charles took them round, 

 and at once hit off the line below the church, and " forrard on " at a great pace 

 almost parallel with the Bakewell road, to the " Black Eocks," within one mile 

 (east) of Ballidon village, but in Brassington parish ; it was a pretty sight to see 

 hounds climb the summit — much too steep for man or horse to follow. 



Up to this point the run had been a repetition of the line of three weeks ago, 

 when that run ended at these rocks ; but on Monday hounds threaded in and out 

 of the rocks without dwelling a moment, and down on the north side to the eighth 

 milestone on the Ashbourne and Bakewell road, being the same point where he 

 crossed this road in the big run of January 29th, 1894. Leaving Ballidon Moor 

 and Hoe Grange farms on the left, we met with nothing but limestone walls, and 

 crossed under the High Peak Railway, on the boundary line of Brassington parish, 

 by a low arch (about fifty yards through it), over Gallowtree lane, Minninglow, 

 and the old Roman road, parallel with the railway to Mouldridge lane ; here the 

 fox again straightened his neck due north, leaving Pike Hall on the left, to the 

 old Newhaven and Cromford turnpike. He ran the road for a quarter of a mile, 

 and turned right-handed at the Winster guide-post into Wisels Wood, the first 

 covert of any sort he had touched for ten miles; there was notlmig to shelter him, 

 and he left, before our an-ival, close to where he entered, crossed the two main 

 roads, over what is still known as Elton Common, but it seemed to us about 

 one-third of the land is occupied by stone walls ; we were alwaj's in the air or 

 dodging old lead mines. After about two miles of this work our fox had 

 evidently gained upon us, and we lost him at three o'clock, one small field from 

 Elton village, and within a mile of where we lost our fox in January, 1894. 

 The distance measured on the map is twelve miles (a ten-mile pouit), but, as 

 hounds ran, at least fifteen miles — only one place (the rocks) where we could not 

 follow hounds, and we did not cross half a dozen ploughs. So ended our third 

 excursion this season into the Peak. An examination on the map of the lines 

 taken on each of these runs — as well as in January, 1894 — would lead any one 

 to believe that on each occasion we followed the same fox ; if so, may he 

 summer well, and again try conclusions with the Meynell bitches " next back 

 end." Hounds were twenty-two miles from kennels as the crow flies, and many 

 were the inquiries as to the nearest road and distance back to " England." Some 

 at once made for Bakewell in the vain hope of finding horse-boxes to take them 

 to Derby or beyond, others to Rowsley, where I hear three boxes were found, 

 and those horses were in Derby by 6.30. Those who went by Wmster to 

 Matlock were less fortunate, and had to ride home, none less than twenty miles. 



A few short weeks and our sport will be over, but I think I may venture to 

 describe it (from personal experience) as the best season's sport with the 

 Meynell during the last thirty years. We have only been twice stopped by 

 frost, have had no blank days, and from beginning until now have not chopped 

 a fox. 



X. 



Field, March 14th, 1896 :— 



THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. 

 Thursday, March 5th, Bumaston Hall. Whilst Mr. D'Arcy Clarke was 

 entertaining all comers, the principal topic of conversation was the fate of the 

 good fox which has three times this season taken us up into the Peak, the last 



