134 Hunting Countries of England. 



Weedon is on the present main line of the L. & N. W. 

 Eailway^ and at various times has been in high repute 

 and fashion. It has^ like Northampton, the very- 

 sporting country of the Duke of Grafton at hand ; and 

 has, besides, the Bicester and the Warwickshire for 

 variety. From Northampton most of the best meets 

 of the Oakley are easily available. Lutterworth and 

 Daventry are other little spots in the Pytchley. Both 

 remain much what they were in the coaching days, — 

 with plentiful welcome for man and horse ; both lie 

 well for hunting; but both are rather off the main 

 line of railway. 



The Pytchley advertise for four days in the week, 

 under the mastership of Mr. H. Langham. Previous 

 to the maintenance of a separate pack for the Wood- 

 lands, it used to be five. Four is as many as any one 

 huntsman can work effectively ; and the change is 

 for the better. For five days a week is really the 

 maximum allowance, permitting any of us to maintain 

 full freshness and elasticity — even for our part as 

 lookers-on. We often make six days — because we 

 don^t know which day to miss ; and as sure as we 

 miss one^ that is told of as the best of the week. 

 And we can sit in our saddles, rest and gossip, while 

 a huntsman is hard at work. We can gallop to 

 covert, and go home quick at night. The huntsman 

 has " hounds^ pace ^' to the meet, unceasing exertion 

 all day (the check being his busiest time), " hounds' 

 pace'' again homeward, and on arrival the pack to be 

 fed, perhaps sick puppies to tend, and certainly kennel 

 correspondence to be carried on. 



The order of days with the Pytchley proper is some- 



