170 WITH HOUND AND TERRIER. 



It was now forty minutes from the find, and the 

 first part of the way had been quite a steeplechase. 

 Of the Stalbridge Vale I have not yet spoken, 

 though in my opinion it is quite the cream of the 

 country. Jumps of every sort are there, — timber, 

 water, doubles, and flying fences, — and hounds 

 seldom fail to find a serving scent over its grand 

 pastures. The sport we had on April 4, 1888, 

 came near to being a record day. As the point-to- 

 point races were to take place at Sparkford, the 

 meet was at eight o'clock, so that it might be 

 possible for those who wished to go to the latter 

 after the hunting was over. We found in Nylands 

 and went away over the river by Pelsham Farm to 

 Kington Magna, and up to the brickfields at Buck- 

 horn Weston. Here there was a slight check, as 

 our fox had made an awkward double ; but we were 

 soon on him again, and heading back to Pelsham, 

 he recrossed the river and made for Nylands. 

 Going straight through the covert in the direction 

 of Bow Brook, he turned before reaching it and 

 once again crossed the river Gale ; the good hound 

 Paramount, the handsomest dog - hound in the 

 pack, holding the line and the others flying to 

 him, they went on without a check. Garrying a 

 good head, they drove over Temple Lane to Moor 

 Withybed and on to Baslem's Hill, where the fox 

 lay down in a double. Jumping out in view, he 

 then crossed the Sherborne road and headed three 

 fields towards Prior's Down ; but bearing down to 

 Hackthorne Lane, he crossed the road once more, 



