280 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. [1899 



ground. They found again in Ireton Hough, ran up to Kedleston Park palings, 

 and back to Ireton Rough, where they lost him, and hounds went home. 



On Friday the Master generously treated us to another bye-day — Bagot's 

 Park Lodge being the place of meeting. The result was a fair woodland day, 

 liounds running well at times, though the fox had always the best of it. The 

 woods were fairly alive with deer, but hounds were remarkably steady under 

 temptation. 



Saturday was a pleasant day to ride about, and hounds were at Foremark. 

 They found in Robin Wood and ran to Calke, where they were stopped and 

 taken back to Robin Wood, Avliere, however, they failed to find again. They 

 found later on in Repton Shrubs and ran out towards Repton. Turning right- 

 handed, they ran by Orange Wood on towards Repton, and lost him. A good 

 sportsman, and the l)est of fox-preservers, had a heavj^ fall through his girths 

 breaking, but luckily was not seriously hurt. 



Monday, January 13th, 1899, at the kennels. There was a large field of horse- 

 men and horsewomen, and no end of carriages and foot people, to say nothing of 

 bicycles. For a wonder the weather, though cold, was propitious. Hounds drew the 

 Sudbury Bottoms, Aldermoor, and the Coppice blank. No better luck awaited them 

 in the little, snug-lying covert at Somersal Herbert, while Brocksford Gorse also 

 failed to hold a fox. They did find, however, in the Hare Park and ran slowly to 

 the Lake Banks behind Sudbury Hall, whence the fox made an attempt to go away 

 across the road into the park, but, being headed, went back to Brocksford, where 

 they lost him. After an unsuccessful call on the Hare Park, they found in the 

 Lady Wood at Doveridge, below the Upwoods, and ran nicely through Eaton 

 Wood up to the boundary fence, and the fox was viewed away pointing for 

 Wardley Coppice. Hounds, however, seemed to have got on the line of another 

 one, for they turned back, and it was only after some delay that they were got 

 out of covert, and cast round the lower side of Wardley Coppice, where they hit 

 him off. They crossed the lane from Wardley to Rocester, and then, settling to 

 the line, ran nicely with a fairly straight-running fox, over the Marston Brook, 

 across the Rocester road by the Marston Factory, past the Thurvaston Arms, on 

 to Mr. Gallimore's farm. Here he diverged from his hitherto straight line, and 

 swung to the left over a " dinible," which is, in most places, impassable. But one 

 of our boldest spirits, who is an adept at cutting such Gordian knots, went 

 straight on, and into and out of it, %vithout deviating from his course, thus 

 earning the thanks of his followers, while hounds ran merrily on across the 

 i\Iarston-Ashbourne road nearly to Cubley Stoop. A quarter of a mile from the 

 Stoop they crossed the Cubley-Marston road, and ran across by Malcorasley — 

 beloved apparently by every Monday fox — into the dumble below Vernon's 

 Oak. Either in the covert or just before reaching it the fox was viewed, but, 

 nevertheless, he beat them — more's the pity. Had they only got away on better 

 terras with him the verdict would probably have been in their favour, for there 

 was quite a useful scent. 



Tuesday saw an average field at Newton village, and expectation was fairly on 

 tip-toe when the order was given to draw Coley Gorse. Unluckily, the fox's 

 point was too well guessed, and those who placed themselves well forward for a 

 start, cut their own throats by heading him. No doubt they will profit by the 

 experience, and will keep with the rest of their neighbours next time. As it was^ 

 the fox turned back through the top end of the coppice, and proved that a 

 mistake liad been made in marking him to ground by appearing on the further 

 side. After trying for him unsuccessfully in the gorse he was given up, and 



