352 The Hunting Countries of England. 



worked to the bitterest depth by the aid of steam. 

 The fences are made according to requirement — the 

 most that is aimed at^ beyond mere landmark, being 

 hedge sufficient to keep sheep from straying from a 

 turnip-field. This does not apply to the Shillington 

 district in the north, or to the Woburn corner on the 

 west (until lately lent by the Oakley, but now 

 reclaimed by them). Here the fences are strong 

 enough for a glutton ; and the former area has a 

 succession of wide bottoms to swallow man and horse. 

 But in most of the country there is more to scramble 

 over than to jump : and your horse must be steady 

 and clever rather than brilliant. Above all, he must 

 be able to travel stolidly through dirt for many hours 

 in succession : and have hocks and quarters to lift 

 himself, and you, out of the mud, when called upon 

 to cross a fence. As a hound- country, again, it 

 seldom carries anything like a bursting scent : but 

 hounds can generally make their way over it, and 

 there is a good deal of sport to be seen with a pack 

 like the present. The Woburn neighbourhood was, 

 perhaps, their best scenting ground. This included 

 most of what is coloured in the map between the 

 main lines of the North-Western and the Midland 

 and above the Great Northern branch from Leighton 

 to Luton — Chalgrave Gorse being still drawn by the 

 Hertfordshire. 



The four days are generally carried out somewhat 

 thus — Monday is for the eastern side, on the borders 

 of the Puckeridge ; Wednesday is for county Beds 

 and the north; Friday is on the west — or rather 

 south-west, as the boundary now stands ; Saturday 



