118 The Hunting Countries of England. 



he is glad to make his bed witli food always ready at 

 hand. 



Mr. Hamond hunts three days in the week — fixing 

 his days and meets as most convenient to the country, 

 local markets entering largely into the calculation. He 

 seldom goes farther west (nor, indeed, would the fen 

 allow him) than the Line between King's Lynn and 

 Downham (or Stow Bardolph), nor farther south than 

 Stow Ferry, Oxborough, Stanford, and Merton (Lord 

 Walsingham's). Mr. Yillebois of Marham, who was 

 many years Master of the West Norfolk, assisted Mr. 

 Hamond for several seasons after the latter' s accession 

 — by keeping up a pack to hunt the country south of 

 King's Lynn and S waff ham. 



The ^' light country,'' then, occupies the greater part 

 of Mr. Hamond' s territory ; and in it you will want a 

 well-bred, galloping horse — while for the eastern vale 

 your mount must be a sturdy hunter, who has a leg to 

 spare in difficulties, and whose back can lift him on to 

 a bank and across a ditch. Massingham is surrounded 

 by the former kind of ground, which reaches away 

 almost to the sea. Foxes lie in the open heather all 

 round the kennels ; and they are found in plenty also 

 at Rougham — where Mr. North has capital coverts and 

 always sends a large contingent into the field. There 

 are the gorse coverts, known as Cook's, Kendle's, 

 Sewell's, Soigne and several others — some existing 

 when the late Lord Leicester (Mr. Coke) hunted the 

 country, and some are new. Hillington (Sir William 

 Ffolke's) is another good meet and draw; and so is 

 Anmer, where Mr. Coldham preserves as heartily as if 

 he still hunted hard. Congham has many nice little 



