TWO BELVOIR AND OUORN RUNS 127 



Part I. — The Run of 1884 



" A wide open brook at this time of day 



Is a poser, as most will admit. 

 Catch hold of his bridle, and show us the way, 



Whilst down in the saddle you sit. 

 Catch hold of the bridle and shove him along, 



And o'er the wide water you fly ; 

 My boy, it's much easier said now than done. 



Though many good men have a try. 

 Yet Custance came up with a rattle, and flew, 

 Clearing all in his stride, in the famed Waterloo." 



— Verses by Tom Firr. 



Saturday is the day of the week in Leicestershire, 

 for often during the season there is the opportunity 

 to hunt with any of the four packs, the Belvoir, Cottes- 

 more, Quorn, or Mr. Fernie's^ all having appointed 

 fixtures in the classic county. The 

 distance that divides the areas of action 

 is possibly within a fifteen-mile radius, 

 yet it is the rarest occurrence that any 

 two hunts join in chase. The memorable 

 occasions when Belvoir and Quorn have 

 killed a fox in company has only hap- 

 pened twice in the last quarter of a _^ ___ 

 century, the dates being 1884 ^-i^d 1908. ^**^'~ ^^ 

 The story of these two red-letter runs 

 gives a fine perspective view of Leicestershire 

 celebrities, past and present being happily linked 

 together by family names and associations, which 

 is the charm of hunting history. 



To ride a run and write the narrative of it is the 

 work of two people, and the present chapter is not 

 a one-sided view of two great events, but the opinions 

 of many who were there to see. Frank Gillard 

 gives a graphic story of the hunt of 1884, and this 

 has been supplemxcnted by Alfred Earp, huntsman 



