The East Sussex. 33 



bourne to Rye. Hastings is tlie most notable point 

 in its extent ; and forms the source of the largest fields^ 

 on the occasion of hounds meeting in its neighbour- 

 hood. Hastings is about two hours from London 

 (Charing Cross or Victoria) ; and if your doctor or 

 other motive agent, recommends Hastings or St. 

 Leonardos as your winter resort, you are within reach 

 of a good pack of hounds twice a week. These towns 

 command all Mr. Frewen's meets ; and if you do not 

 care about bringing down horses of your own, you can 

 hire something fit to carry you on the spot. Fox- 

 hunting comes to an end at Rye, where the '^ Royal 

 Military Canal" divides or marks the edge of the 

 Romney Marsh — a broad area of flat grass, rendered 

 impassable by dykes wide and unfathomable, which 

 drain the land and divide the fields. Nor, again, is 

 there any pack north of the river Rother, which forms 

 the practical boundary of the East Sussex. Why such 

 a stretch of ground should exist between the East 

 Sussex and the Tickham, its residents alone could 

 explain ; for to all appearance this slip of country is, 

 as regards coverts and practibility, quite as eligible 

 for sport as either further north or south. The hills 

 are very little steeper to climb ; there is as much open 

 space; and foxes are said to exist in improvable 

 numbers. In East Sussex, with an established pack, 

 there is no difficulty about foxes. About five-and- 

 twenty litters is the usual annual return ; which is 

 certainly above the average in a two-days-a-week 

 country. Among such large and frequent coverts 

 foxes are difficult to kill ; and it is not ground that 

 often admits of bursting them up at starting. But for 



VOL. II. D 



