344 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. Ci90i 



and may liave jumped up hearing hounds coming, and led them oft' the hne of 

 their hunted one. Anyhow, a change came over tlie spirit of the dream. They 

 were at fault before reaching the Alknionton-Longford road; and though the 

 Inmtsman made a very careful all-round cast, he never succeeded in recoveruig 

 the line. Thus ended a capital, good, wide ring, of thirty-eight minutes, with 

 a good scent, and a fox who knew his way abont. Hounds then went to Long- 

 ford, but did not find. 



We had to pay for our good scent on Monday with a sharp frost, which 

 stopped hunting for the rest of the week. 



The Master's fall, mentioned above, was caused by bis 

 striking his head against the bough of a tree under which 

 he was jumping, near Anslow. Hounds were at New Inn 

 on that day, February 9th, the first after the stoppage. 



Monday, February 18th. Hounds were advertised to come to Marston-on- 

 Dove, but frost stopped them. 



On Tuesday they came to Blithbury, although the "going" left much to be 

 desired. Still, according to the late Mr. Clowes's axiom, there was no reason 

 why we should not have hunted ; for he always stoutly maintained that, if there 

 was nothing to hurt hounds' feet, horses might look after themselves. And 

 to-day, at any rate, the opinion held good ; for, though there was one dirty coat, 

 the wearer seemed none the worse for his fall. We did not find till we got to 

 Pipe Wood, though a fox was seen and halloaed while hounds were drawing the 

 Lawn, but when the huntsman went to the halloa they could make nothing of 

 it. A brace went away from Pipe Wood, but scent was catchy, not to say bad, 

 and they ran, checking in every field, across the road pointing for Laurence's 

 Wood, which they left well on the right to what is diversely called BHthbury 

 Bank, Blithbury Gorse, and Pear Tree Gorse, so the writer hopes to have 

 pleased everybody. Here they dwelt, but at last made out a line over the main 

 road which leads to Blithbury, pointing for Ox Close Wood, losing their fox 

 unaccountably before they got there. A cast back to Pipe Wood, as a last 

 chance, failed to hit the mark, and we jogged off to Rough Park. Hence a fox 

 was soon away on the Wichnor side, and they ran smartly in that direction, 

 while most of us galloped hard along the road to the detriment of our horses' 

 legs and the salvation of our necks, catching hounds this side of MoiTcy. 

 Casting just to the right of it, the huntsman hit off his fox, and they carried the 

 line into the spinny on the hill opposite, towards Wichnor, but could do nothing 

 beyond. Finding, or refinding as the case may be, in the big wood, they ran 

 out at the Barton end, and pointed for Hollyliurst, but the fox turned short 

 back, and they ran well for two or three fields, up-wind, to ground in the main 

 earth in Wichnor big wood. Then off to the Brakenhurst. Found at once, and 

 ran out into Yoxall Park, nearly to the Lodge, whence they turned back for 

 the Brakenhurst, while we slithered and slid down the hillsides after them. 

 The going in the wood was not so bad. Then they ran back and forth in the 

 Brakenhurst and Jackson's back with foxes everywhere, till night overtook them. 

 Quite a good enough day for the state of the ground. 



Monday, March 4th. The Cottage, Foston, where the Master and Mrs. Fort 

 made every one welcome. A soaking wet morning was not a promising begin- 

 ning, but by ten o'clock the rain had ceased, and gave place to a beautiful day, 

 and a good scenting one to boot, for no sooner were hoimds away with their fox 



