114 HUNTING TOURS. 



Ben Painting, the head whip, were with the 

 first-named division. Turner and Russell, 

 the under whip, with those which went to 

 Star Wood. The field was divided in about 

 equal proportion with the hounds, and I was 

 fortunate enoug-h to turn with those which 

 kept the open. To have stopped either when 

 the division occurred was impossible, and 

 with so fine a country as the one over which 

 they were running when it might have been 

 accomplished, Mr. Colmore considered it 

 more judicious to let them persevere. Leav- 

 ing Stowel Grove on the right and North- 

 leach on the left after crossing the Cirencester 

 road, the fox, inclining to the right, as if 

 Bibury were his point, reached Coin St. 

 Dennis, where the hounds ran the scent well 

 up to a small and very open plantation, 

 where they suddenly checked. A sheepdog 

 had unfortunately caught sight of the fox 

 and chased him. After several ineffectual 

 casts, the hounds hit upon a very stale scent, 

 scarcely sufficient for them to speak to, 

 which they worked most patiently and indus- 

 triously to a small spinney, and on entering 

 it got up to their tired fox, as he had 

 evidently waited for them. The keen eye 



