136 NIMROD'S HUNTING TOUR 



did nothing with our first fox, but had a sharp thing with our second, 

 and lost him from want of the needful. We went at a quick pace up 

 one of those hills with which this part of the country abounds ; and 

 when they came to the top, the hounds threw up, upon the line from 

 want of wind, and the fox went on and beat them. 



After hunting this day, I proceeded into Warwickshire for a 

 week, and took up my quarters at Alscot Park, the fine seat of 

 Mr. West. 



On Tuesday the 8th, we met at Alveston pastures, two miles from 

 Stratford-on-Avon, but had nothing worth speaking of ; and on 

 Thursday, at Wolford Wood, with about the same success. On 

 Friday, however, there was a fine day's sport with the Duke of 

 Beaufoi't, from Sanford. 



This fox was found at Ilbury gorse, and, crossing the Deddington 

 road, went close to Adderbury town — thirty-five minutes, very fast, 

 to the first short check ; and then forty minutes more at a quick 

 hunting pace, when a longer check ensued. The hounds, however, 

 hunted up to him to within a mile and a half of Wroxton Abbey 

 (Lord Guildford's), when they set to, and ran into him at a small 

 gorse just outside the park — in all, one hour and forty minutes. 



The country this fox ran over, and particularly in the neighbour- 

 hood of Banbury, was heavy, and the fences very strong. Sanford, 

 however, is the best appointment the Duke has in Oxfordshire, 

 because it affords a chance of the hounds running over this fine 

 vale, which is w^orth a week over many parts of the Duke's hills. 



Had this run been a little more straight, very few w^ould have seen 

 it ; and it was a most creditable day to the hounds. Some of the 

 Mostyn men were out, and Mr. Mostyn Lloyd and the elder Mr. 

 Kingcote went well ; as also Messrs. Hollo way, Webb, Molony, and 

 some others of the Duke's. Sir Henry Peyton's mare was ill, and 

 did not go three fields ; and Mr. Foley's horse dropped down dead 

 at the end of the first quarter of an hour, having broken a blood- 

 vessel. An Oxford man, whose name I could not learn, charged 

 most gallantly in this run, on one of Sadler's horses, and exhibited 

 some excellent bull-finching. Philip Payne came up at the finish, 

 and shed tears of joy at the excellence displayed by his pack. 

 On Saturday the 12th, I met Colonel Berkeley's hounds 



