The Duke of Grafton's. 405 



that name_, with. Shalston Spinnies and afterwards the 

 great woods of Wakefield, Whittlebury, Stowe, &c. 

 Meeting at Wakefield Lawn they occasionally trot off 

 to a nice little covert in the open, and by the Canal 

 side, known as Friary Furze (well preserved by a good 

 old sportsman, Col. Fitzroy). After this they pro- 

 bably go on to Stoke Park. Wicken Park is a good 

 place on the southern border, with the forest to fall 

 back upon. The meet of Tilehouse is for Tilehouse 

 Wood and other coverts where foxes are well cared for 

 by Mr. Robarts. In Salsey Forest the most familiar 

 fixtures are Keeper^s Lodge and Ranger's Lodge ; 

 and those whose taste points to good rough woodland 

 hunting may here indulge it to the full. 



Friday is the most popular day of the week, with 

 the men of the Hunt ; is in the north centre of country ; 

 and on ground pretty nearly equally divided between 

 grass and plough. Some of the Bicester men fre- 

 quently attend ; and, as the season goes on, the train 

 brings numbers from London, Leighton, &c. When 

 Brackley or Whitfield are advertised, the likeliest 

 draws are Brackley Corse, Halse Copse, and Whitfield 

 Spinnies. Whistley Wood is a meet, as well as a very 

 large and first-rate fox covert. Some three seasons 

 ago they had an extraordinary fine run from here — 

 fifty-five minutes with an old dog fox. Hounds were 

 never cast ; and ran right into their fox in the middle 

 of a grass field. From Astwell Mill they take Weedon 

 Bushes, a nice but not altogether a sure covert ; or go 

 to Allithornes, which by many people is held to be the 

 best place in the Hunt — being a certain find with a 

 good country all round. Braddon is for Braddon 



