95 



and the hounds divided, four couple going away towards Duchal. 

 Squires stuck to his hunted fox, and took him up past the 

 Doctor's house on to the Kilmalcolm Strips. He then turned 

 sharp to the right, and crossed the Killalan Road. The hounds 

 here rather got the best of them. 



" Now the fences made skirters look blue, 



There was no time to crane or to creep, 

 O'er the pastures like pigeons they flew, 



And the ground rode infernally deep. 

 Oh ! my eyes, what a fall ! are you hurt? 



No, no, sir, I thank you, are you ? 

 But who, to enjoy such a spirt, 



Would be grudging an odd rib or two." 



On they went a burster, the Colonel taking the left side ot 

 the water, Mr. C. Couper, Mr. D. Kippen, Mr. Wallace, and 

 Mr. Clapperton, being well with them, choosing the other 

 side. They raced their fox up to Lawfield Gorse, and, leaving 

 it on the right, went on to Ennely. A thick mist now came 

 on, but Mr. D. Kippen viewed the fox away, and Squires 

 hollo'd the hounds on. They then ran him down the 

 Scarth and up to West Barlogan, where he was viewed dead 

 beat, but owing to another shower of snow, he lived to " fight 

 another day." Time, forty-five minutes, with one check. 

 Trotted back to Auchenbothie, found at once, and had a ring 

 round by the strips. 



"Now the stragglers came in one by one, 



Hollo ! where, my dear fellow, were you ; 

 Bad luck, in the midst of the run 



My poor little mare threw her shoe? 

 But where was the ' gemmau' in pink ! 



Who swore at his tail we should look. 

 Not in the next parish, I think, 



For he never got over the brook. " 



