The Quorn. 75 



and constitutes almost a central spot for tlie whole of 

 tlie Quorn country. Witli hounds at Six Hills it is 

 useless for the most practised sinner to attempt 

 the vice of speculating on the draw. Thrussington 

 Wolds is a couple of hundred yards away, Thrussing- 

 ton Gorse half a mile, Walton Thorns the same, Mr. 

 Cradock^s Spinney still less, Shoby Scholes and Lord 

 Aylesford^s a mile and a half, and Cossington Gorse 

 two miles — and any of them may be chosen as first 

 draw. Of these coverts Thrussington Wolds is a 

 snug little wood of about thirty acres ; the Gorse (or 

 New Covert) is sound, and thick, and well favoured, 

 and both overlook the fine bullock-pastures that 

 stretch down to the Wreake — offering every tempta- 

 tion to a good fox to try his luck across the open. 

 Walton Thorns and Mr. Cradock^s spinney are the 

 property of the same good fox preserver; and, in 

 spite of neighbouring difficulties the Thorns are 

 seldom untenanted, no matter how often appealed 

 to. Great runs are on record, and great runs are 

 recent, from Walton Thorns. Did they not kill the 

 hohtail from there — fifty-three minutes without a 

 check, the death at Sysonby (by Melton) and nearly 

 every field grass ? Twelve years ago ; but three 

 times twelve will not wipe it from the memories of 

 the few who rode that November gallop. And it was 

 last November again that the Quorn bitches, never 

 lifted or touched, ran into an old fox " as big as a 

 wolf,^^ in Bunny Park — fifty-five minutes from the 

 Thorns, and very few fields grass. Just beyond 

 Walton Thorns is Burton Park. It is a matter of 

 regret that Lord Archibald Seymour no longer hunts. 



