234 GOOD SPORT 



hounds having picked up poison, and it is recorded 

 that on February 17th it was drawn by boys, the 

 hounds being kept outside. They drove a fox out, 

 the hounds were laid on, running by Edmondthorpe, 

 up to Woodwell Head, on by Barrow, to ground in 

 Cottager's Gorse — time, forty minutes. 



Again on December 14, 1864, when Gihard had 

 been promoted to first whipper-in, hounds drew 

 Coston covert for the first time after the poisoning, 

 and a fox broke directly, but with only eight and 

 a half couple of hounds. These got away close at 

 him and raced down to Garthorpe ; rising the hill 

 to Saxby Spinney, they skirted Stapleford Park and 

 ran over the fine country by Teigh to the Green 

 Lane from Ash well to Langham, where Cooper's 

 horse fell dead under him, Mr. G. Drummond lend- 

 ing him his. The fox lay down in a hedgerow and 

 hounds ran over him, but being brought back they 

 killed. It was a splendid fifty minutes, and there 

 were many falls. Numerous other good days are 

 recorded much farther back at the very commence- 

 ment of hunting history, the covert having always 

 been favoured fox- ground. 



The pages of Frank Gihard's " Reminiscences," 

 published in 1898, give many interesting accounts 

 of Coston covert days. Referring to the events of 

 November 14, 1877, Gillard says, " From Coston 

 covert hounds raced with a breast-high scent to 

 Woodwell Head, accomplishing the distance in 

 twelve minutes. Gillard took the time, so did the 

 Rev. J. Mirehouse, of Colsterworth, who was always 

 ' a good docker.' The Duke of Rutland was very 

 pleased when he heard of this brilliant burst, and 

 remarked that it proved the Belvoir hounds were 

 faster than in Goosey's time." 



Any argument of speed entering into the story 



