1899] THE " SQUIRE'S " HOUNDS IN BAGOT'S WOODS. 281 



hounds drew Blithfield Gorse blank, but found in the Eound Plantation, and the 

 fox went away in the direction of Stansley Wood. When hounds first got on his 

 line there appeared to be little or no scent, but, as sometimes happens, the farther 

 he got in front of them the better scent served. Consequently they ran nicely 

 through Stansley Wood, and very prettily along the top of the Warren. After 

 crossing the Bromley-Newton road, between Newtonhurst and Bagot's Bromley, 

 the pace improved, and they ran past, with Heatley on their right, to the 

 Uttoxeter-Bromley road, which skirts Bagot's Wood, where they checked. It 

 was not very far, it is true, but it was a merry burst while it lasted. Hitting off 

 their fox, they ran nicely through the woods, back again across the main road, 

 nearly to Kingstone Wood, where there were two hues. They stuck to the fox, 

 which turned left-handed, and ran him to ground close to Healtey. If only the 

 fox had chosen a different line, or had not got to ground, the hounds would have 

 had a good chance of catching him, as there was a very fair scent. In this gallop 

 Mrs. Eandall's good little chestnut horse was unfortunately very badly staked. 

 After drawing Newton Gorse blank, they found a second time in the Square 

 Plantation at Blithfield, but the fox was resolutely determined to remain where 

 he was, and, as there was no scent in covert, the hounds failed to dislodge him, 

 so he remained master of the situation, much to the disgust of a shivering field. 



Thursday was the first day we have been stopped by frost this season, and 

 Satiu'day was the second. 



On Wednesday, on account of the Meynell hounds being so far away on the 

 previous day, the Master very considerately invited Mr. Chandos-Pole to have a 

 day in the woods with his hounds. It goes without saying that the squire accepted 

 the invitation, for no one loves to show sport to his friends and neighbours more 

 than he does. And rare good sport he showed. After a little riot with deer, 

 which was not surprising with a keen pack unused to seeing them in covert, the 

 hounds settled on to the line of a fox in Bagot's Wood, and bustled him with a rare 

 burst of music, which it was a treat to hear, nearly to the Uttoxeter-Bromley 

 road. Turning back, they drove him through the wood and out into Bagot's Park, 

 across which they ran beautifully to the park palings, where they checked. But 

 a quick, forward cast soon put them right, and they ran merrily in fine style with 

 Bromley Park on their right by Moore's and Hart's farm, by Jock o' Wall, by 

 Lord Dartmouth's covert, to Field House Coppice. Through this they ran with- 

 out dwelling, over the brook, and by Daisy Bank to Tomlinson's comer. As the 

 fox ran down the Agardsley Park side of this snug covert he was viewed by the 

 keeper, very tired, crossing over into tlie Forest Banks. He then ran the whole 

 length of the Forest Banks, over Marchington Cliff, into Swilcar Lawn, nearly to 

 Bank Top, where, being headed, he retraced his steps, and was viewed dead beat 

 between Bank Top and Marchington Cliff. Unluckily hounds ran nearly up to 

 Bank Top before they could be stopped, which saved his brush pro tern. But 

 the Squire and his pack are not easily shaken off, and casting back over Marching- 

 ton Cliff he hit off the line of his fox, and eventually marked him to gi-ound. 

 Being speedily ejected, they dusted him round the wood in rare fashion till they 

 marked him to ground again. So eager were ihey to get him that a hound 

 actually had hold of him in the earth before the digging tools arrived. The first 

 stroke of the spade settled the matter, and they killed a fox, which they had fairly 

 earned after a very cheery hunt of considerably over an hour. They found again 

 in Bagot's Wood near Park Side, and the fox went away on the lower side by 

 Marlpit House, as if he meant going for Kingstone Wood, but turned back into 

 Floyer's Coppice, through it, and ran a ring back to where he was found, going 

 away again at the bottom. But hounds got on to another, and ran him up to the 



