38 The Hunting Countries of England. 



may receive their ^' Routes ^' for one of these three 

 places ; while, for the sake of an inquisitive visitor, it 

 may be added that the journey down from London is 

 to be accomplished in about an hour and twenty 

 minutes to Colchester, and two hours to either of the 

 other towns (Liverpool-street Station, Great Eastern 

 Railway) . Small fields are the order of the day with the 

 Essex and Suffolk ; though there are a good number 

 of county residents mthin its limits, and the Service is 

 generally to be found represented at all meets within 

 riding distance of the garrisons. All told, however, 

 sixty is more than the average number for a field 

 here. 



The river Stour almost exactly bisects the country, 

 and, being the divisional line between the two 

 counties, has Suffolk on its northern bank, Essex on 

 the southern. One day a week is accordingly given 

 to each, and a third day is fi^equently added where 

 most suitable. The lower part of Suffolk, towards 

 the mouths of the rivers, and the east of Essex 

 are the deepest districts in the Hunt. The coverts 

 of the country are all natural, and, with the excep- 

 tion of a few strong woodlands, are not very 

 large. The country is, in fact^ quite an open 

 one ; and, though there are plenty of coverts every- 

 where to hold foxes, they are not of a size or 

 frequency to make the latter dwell long when found. 

 And the supply of foxes is said to be better year 

 by year. 



The present Master, Mr. Thomas Nunn, is in his 

 second term of Mastership — having now hunted the 

 country altogether some eight seasons. His uncle 



