HUNTING TOURS. 113 



did at the upper end, with the pack in a 

 body, and apparently on good terms ; but 

 this did not last long, for the hounds had 

 scarcely settled to the scent when the fox 

 was headed, which occasioned a check. Hit- 

 ting off the scent, the brook, which was bank 

 full, had to be crossed, some of the field 

 selecting a ford, which nearly produced a 

 swim for undersized ones, others availed 

 themselves of a bridge. It soon became appa- 

 rent that there were two foxes on foot, and 

 it subsequently transpired that one of them 

 broke covert at the opposite end simulta- 

 neously as the one the hounds had found left 

 at the other. As they crossed each others 

 line this at first caused some perplexity, but 

 at length settling to a fair though by no 

 means a brilliant scent, they hunted it very 

 nicely nearly to Foxcot, to the right, crossing 

 the Withington road to Withington village, 

 where the pace began to improve, and pass- 

 ing through Compton village. Star Wood 

 appeared to be the point ; but the hounds 

 divided, one portion, eleven couples, bearing 

 to the left, with a splendid country before 

 them, the other nine couples and a half 

 runniuir for Star Wood. Mr. Colmore and 



