284 THE OLD BERKS HUNT 



by his master's son, Robert Thatcher, aged 

 II, a man named Goddard, and a lad of 17, 

 named Daniels. Having delivered the coal, 

 the party started on its return journey, leaving 

 Lambourne at i p.m. Snow began to fall as 

 they started, but Patient, being familiar with 

 the Downs, anticipated no difficulty. He took 

 the road by Compton House and Knighton 

 Hamlet, as being the shorter and least liable 

 to be blocked by snow. He appears to have 

 reached and passed Knighton Bushes, and 

 then to have lost the track in the blinding 

 storm. The horses became utterly exhausted 

 near the spot known as Honey Bush Corner. 

 This was about 4.30 p.m. The party then 

 lost their way completely, and the boy Robert 

 becoming exhausted. Patient took him on his 

 back and struggled with him for two hours 

 and a half through the blinding hurricane of 

 snow and wind. He then discovered his 

 burden was a corpse. After a time he was 

 compelled to leave the dead boy in the snow 

 and crawl on alone. At last he got shelter 

 in an empty house, and ultimately, with great 

 difficulty, managed to reach the house of Lord 

 Craven's keeper, Jesse Jones. Here Patient 

 arrived about one o'clock at night. Jones re- 

 ceived Patient with the greatest kindness, 

 and organised, with the neighbours, a relief 



