260 Hunting Countries of England, 



same, on a smaller scale, as in tlie low country — viz., 

 woods of hazel and other underwood, beneath oak and 

 various timber. They are difficult for hounds to get 

 through, until the early winter has thinned the dense 

 luxuriance of vegetation : and they seldom attain a 

 consistency that allows a pack to drive its fox rapidly 

 before it. 



Of the leading fixtures for the Downs are Aldworth 

 and Streatley, for the stronghold of Unhill — a large 

 and well-stocked wood in a most hilly country, and 

 whence many a stretching scurry has taken place. 

 Another frequent meet with a view to Unhill is The 

 Grotto, Basildon, where lives Mr. Arthur Smith, one of 

 the pillars of the Hunt. Besides Unhill, hounds may 

 draw on to the Streatley Woods, Bennett^s Wood, 

 Nutgrove, Portobello, Long Copse, and so on, south- 

 wards, to Coleridge. More to the westward are the 

 two favourite meets of Compton and Hampstead 

 Norris. The former is on the Downs, and points to 

 Compton Wood, while from the latter they draw 

 Hampstead Beech Wood (Mr. Lowseley^s) and Down 

 Wood — thence getting to the flints and arable, and 

 perhaps working down to the Eling coverts and on to 

 Fence, on the boundary. Frilsham House (the seat of 

 Mr. T. Floyd, another good friend to the Hunt) is the 

 next meet, from which they go to Hawkridge for that 

 gentleman^s coverts. These are of considerable 

 extent, and within their area is a fine gorse. From 

 them the hounds move on to Coomb Wood (by the 

 way, is there a Hunt in England that does not contain 

 a Coomb Wood, variously spelt ?) or the Yattendon 

 Coverts. Bradfield and Ashampstead Common are 



