HUNTING TOURS. 375 



It is a source of vast pleasure to revisit a 

 country where, in the full vigour and excite- 

 ment of youth, one had participated in the 

 sport at a period when it effects the liveliest 

 impressions on the mind ; and to recognise old 

 friends and " old familiar faces," though still 

 with feelings of regret that all the friends and 

 all the familiar faces of olden days are not pre- 

 sent, nay, that too many of them have ceased 

 to enjoy their once favourite amusement. 



Scrupulous in the selection of country, I 

 made choice of Grafton, preferring it to that 

 which is designated the crack fixture of the 

 hunt. Bishop's Wood, and most fortunate it 

 was that I eschewed the latter place, as it 

 was signalised by a blank day. Many were 

 the reminiscences of by-gone times as I rode 

 to Grafton, the well-known covert called 

 the Trenches on an eminence on my left, 

 with Churchill Wood on the right, an inva- 

 riable line which foxes selected in Parker's 

 days. Whether or not he held converse 

 with them I cannot declare, but the Trenches 

 constantly afforded the commencement, and 

 Churchill Wood the finale of the run. I 

 found a goodly field assembled, very few 

 of whom I personally knew, except Mr. 



