58 The Hunting Countries of England, 



be chosen. Once^ or sometimes twice,, a week lie 

 might even leave London at nine o^clock, and be in 

 time for the meet of this, one of the greatest packs in 

 England. Or^ again, with the railway at the door of 

 his hotel, he may at any time throw in his luck for 

 the day with the Cottesmore, or even run down for 

 an occasional gallop with the Quorn or the Belvoir. 



Huntingdon, twenty minutes nearer London on the 

 same line, is another place from which to hunt with 

 the Fitzwilliam, and from here the other days of the 

 week may be filled in with the Cambridgeshire and 

 the Oakley. But Peterborough, as being the point 

 from which hounds start in the morning to return in 

 the evening, may be taken as the special base of 

 operation with a view to the pack in question. 



It is rather a severe country for horses — the 

 distances being long, the ground deep, and the woods 

 very trying. It sometimes happens that hounds 

 have as much as thirty miles to journey back to 

 kennels ; and, though you may occasionally find your 

 way home by train, your lot may at any time be the 

 same as theirs. So, start with sound horses and 

 strong ones ; and be prepared to fill up a gap in the 

 stable should a casualty demand it. 



The meets of the Fitzwilliam are regulated as 

 follows — on a system that would appear not only to 

 have been adopted by the present Master, the 

 Marquis of Huntly, but to have been in vogue for 

 many years past. Wednesday and Saturday, being 

 market days at Peterborough, are chosen for the more 

 distant meets in the south of the country — while 

 Monday and Thursday are reserved for the north. 



