The Quorn, 79 



pen across the Wreake for a few topographical 

 jottings anent tlie Quorn Fridays. Kirby Gate (or 

 rather, the site of the old toUbar) is the first, and 

 nearest, meet of the season. Custom says they ought 

 to come there for the opening day; and so, as is 

 right, they do. Later on, they save three miles by 

 making Great Dalby the rendezvous before pro- 

 ceeding to draw Gartree Hill. This famous thorn 

 covert of Mr. Hartopp^s (adjoining the Punchbowl 

 and others which he provides, all equally stocked, 

 for the Cottesmore) is situated quite in an extreme 

 corner of the Quorn territory. The Burton Flat 

 stretches out at its feet, with Stapleford Park, the 

 Whissendine, and many miles of grass beyond ; just 

 to the right is the hill of Little Dalby, with the 

 Punchbowl, Burrough Hill, and the cream of the 

 ■Cottesmore behind these. At the back of Gartree 

 Hill again are the great ox-fenced pastures of Great 

 Dalby. Little wonder, then, that, with every 

 :advantage of preservation and situation, such great 

 and frequent runs should have been booked to this 

 covert, and the adjacent one of Sir Francis Burdett's 

 — another thick thorn fastness below Dalby Hill. 

 After a morning h.ere, hounds may be taken on to 

 draw Adams' Gorse, a little covert near Thorpe 

 Satchville, close to the Melton Steeplechase Course, 

 and with the best country in the hunt within hail. 

 Or, without stopping here, they will be thrown into 

 one of the great trio of coverts — Thorpe Trussels, 

 Ashby Pastures, and Cream Gorse. When these are 

 required for morning work, the meets will probably 

 Le Thorpe Satchville Hall, Ashby Folville, and 



