434 HUNTING. 



mies of the finny tribe, which are numerous in the 

 Chervvell, and streams near Eousham and North 

 Aston, will not repose as heretofore in uninter- 

 rupted security. Mr. Peyton hunts the pack him- 

 self, assisted by a very powerful auxiliary in the 

 person of Viscount Chetwynd. These gentlemen 

 start with their otter spears ere the day breaks, 

 and at half-past five in the morning they may be 

 seen two or three times a-week wending their way 

 on foot along the banks of the river, in pursuit of 

 the ' furry varmint.' The pack has had some very 

 excellent runs, one of which continued a distance of 

 twenty-five miles, having been found in the river 

 Cherwell, near to Flights Mill, and hunted through 

 all the turnings of that serpentine stream to his 

 lodgings at Watereaton, where he took refuge 

 amongst the old willows, and succeeded in baffling 

 his pursuers ; subsequently to which a capital da3^'s 

 sport was afi"orded at North Aston. The hounds 

 found near the mill, and went away in the direction 

 of Nell Bridge ; but twisting into the Adderbury 

 Brook, after a chase of about eight miles, he was 

 come up with, when some hard fighting occurred, 

 in which a small terrier, bred by Mr. Pe}i:on, 

 greatly signalized himself, being much punished, 

 as indeed were all the hounds, from the determined 

 ferocity of the otter, which was ultimately speared 

 by Mr. Peyton. It turned out to be a fine bitch 

 otter, weighing upwards of twenty pounds, and, 

 from the appearance of the dugs, it was conjectured 

 that some of her family were in the vicinity, and 

 consequently the hounds were again laid on, and 



