168 NOTITIA VENATICA. 



although there will be no " death halloo" wafted on the gales to Cot- 

 tesmore, I hope I may he allowed to introduce it without further 

 apology. 



" Waltham, Dec. 10. — It had snowed considerably in the morning, 

 and was inchned to freeze ; and, as the sun had Uttle or no power, Ave 

 soon perceived, on meeting at Waltham, that there was no probabihty 

 of the snow melting sufficiently to enable us to throw off in that coun- 

 try. As the vale of Belvoir appeared free from snow, we determined, 

 by a rapid and sudden movement, to reach' Jericho Cover. Unexpected 

 as our appearance was in that quarter, yet the foxes were not taken by 

 surprise. On our arrival there we were informed that a fox had been 

 disturbed from an adjoining stubble-field, and had entered the cover. 

 Probably he had passed through it ; for on throwing in the hounds some 

 of them would have brought away a scent at the gate in the top part of 

 the cover. They soon, however, found ; and the fox came away along 

 the hedge-roAV that runs from the North-east corner. The hounds came 

 out with* another fox at first, but hallooing them from him, vre laid 

 them on the scent of the former, and ran him very hard across the road 

 that leads to Whatton, then tm-ned to the right, and crossing the Whip- 

 pUng, came up nearly to the canal, two fields from Redmile Bridge. 

 Here we experienced a check by the hounds being overridden ; but they 

 hunted him forwards, and he got up in view to the pack from some 

 rushest in a field opposite to the windmill which stands on the Belvoir 

 side of the canal. They noAV set oft' at the best pace, making a 

 direct point for Bottesford town ; and then bearing to the left, crossed 

 the Nottingham turnpike road at the toU-bar leading to Elton, leaving 

 Bottesford completely on the right ; crossed the River:}: Devon, and 

 leaving the village of Normanton on the right, and Kilvington on the 

 left, made a direct point for Staunton ; but turning to the right, Avent 

 over§ the road that leads from Bottesford to the North Road, up to 

 Normanton Thorns. The fox had skirted the cover Avithout entering it, 

 leaving it on his left ; and Avhen Ave reached the top of the adjoining- 

 hill, we vieAved him two fields ahead. He noAV took the road Avhich 

 leads to Long Bennington ; but turned from it into the lane that leads 

 to the left to Gotham ; and leaAang that, he made his Avay to the Nortli 

 Road, Avhich he kept on his right till close to Gotham village. He had 

 noAV run ten miles, Avith the Avind directly in his teeth ; and all persons 

 Avere unanimous in considering it as a fine run, and in expecting imme- 



" * This fox had returned into the cover, and we were hicky in getting the hounds 

 away from him. 



' ' t Many gentlemen were thrown out at this jjoint ; and such was the pace of the 

 hounds from hence that they never saw more of them until we turned back from 

 Gotham. 



" t The only persons who leaped this wide brook were Mr, Forester and J. Wing, 

 a farmer ; the latter fell in the attempt. The rest of the field leaped into the bottom 

 of it, and got out at a watering place for cattle, which fortunately offered itself on the 

 opposite side. 



" § The only check that occurred between the field where the fox jumped up in 

 view, and the point whence they turned back from Cotham was at this place, owing to 

 their being pressed along a hedge-row. 



