338 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. [1900 



their several parts well, as they followed their fox first parallel with the Long 

 Lane practically, though there was many a twist and turn in the doing thereof, 

 not to mention a saddle or two emptied and much gallant riding, till eventually 

 they did cross the Long Lane and ran past Longford Rectory over the road to 

 Longford, to the pit-hole on Mr. Hawksworth's farm, Barton Fields, after an 

 interesting hunt of twenty-eight minutes. It looked as if the fox had got in here, 

 but while people Avere looking at their watches, taking a pull at their flasks, and 

 diving into sandwich cases, the huntsman cast forward, hit off his fox, and they 

 himted him slowly over the road which goes by Boden's Thorns, then parallel 

 with it, till they finally cast up at the Thorns aforesaid, when they chattered 

 merrily at their fox for a minute or two, and then — a silence, which each one can 

 explain to his satisfaction, no doubt. Then they found in Parson's Gorse, crossed 

 the main road in a murky atmosphere, as if going for Eadburne, and, turning 

 short back left-handed over the main road, lost most of their followers. With 

 only four with them, though a fifth joined later on, they ran between Parson's 

 Gorse and Langley Common, towards Langley, by Radburne Rough, through 

 Pildock Wood, back to Parson's Gorse, and lost their fox or were stopped by 

 Silver Hill. No doubt the five enjoyed themselves. Two of their names are 

 honestly unknown to the writer, but of the other three it may safely be said — 



" Tlicy care not a jot for the fame, 

 But hunt for the fun of the game. 

 If each in his heart was well pleased with hia part, 

 What boots it to mention a name ? " 



Saturday, Walton. A beautiful morning after as wild and rough a night and 

 day as any one could expect to see. Hounds found in Walton Wood, ran down 

 the ploughed field on the Walton side, turned left, pointing for Oaklands, to the 

 road from Walton, where the fox was headed, and ran a ring, no doubt intending 

 to make his point good if he could, but met the field about the end of his ring, 

 if at least this hypothesis is correct, squatted in a ditch, was nearly jumped on 

 by some of the leading horsemen, and hounds killed him in the open. One 

 gentleman fell, neck and crop, over the fence, almost amongst the hounds, who, 

 in the excitement of the worry, surged up towards the prostrate pair. They 

 found again in Mr. Ratcliff's gorse, and ran, a nice twenty minutes, over the road 

 pointing for Homestall Wood, left-handed for Coton, nearly up to Seal Wood, 

 where there was a long check, the huntsman eventually hitting off his fox, wliich 

 hounds ran slowly past Caldwell Hall, and there lost him. 



Monday, December 31st, Darley Moor. The wind was keen from the north, 

 but otherwise there was nothing to complain of on account of the weather, and 

 the ground was wet enough for scent, on which score also there was no cause 

 for grumbling. A leash of foxes went away from the Holly Wood with a couple 

 or two after one on the Yeaveley side, but the main hunt was concerned with 

 one, with which they got a bad start, and which crossed the main Ashbourne 

 road. They ran this fox nicely to the road which goes by Cinder Hill to Norbury, 

 and it looked for a moment as if he had got to ground in the old copper work- 

 ings. But it was not so, for a cast round to make the ground good succeeded in 

 crossing his line, and they ran pointing for Raddle Wood, but could not carry 

 a line quite up to it, and lost him, after about ten or fifteen minutes. Found in 

 Cubley Car, ran to the gorse, and back into the car, and there seemed a fair 

 chance of repeating our experience of our last visit here. But what with a 

 sheep-dog coursing the fox into the car, and a good smacking of whips on the 

 gorse side of it, our friend altered his plan, and went away over Hollis' lane. 



