GOOD SPORT. 171 



and hounds ran into him one mile from the brook. 

 The run had lasted one hour and twenty-three 

 minutes, and had it been straight, it would have 

 been a record one. Although it was somewhat 

 twisting, it was yet one that those who shared 

 in it can never forget. The pace was good 

 throughout, the working of the hounds marvellous, 

 and every hound was up at the finish. 



The great run in the Blackmore Vale country, 

 however, was earlier than this, and had taken 

 place on December 30, 1884. This hunt has often 

 been described,^ and I will not dwell on it here. 

 Hounds met at Jack White's Gibbet, and finding 

 their fox in Mr Hobhouse's coverts at Hadspen at 

 twenty minutes before noon, they ran into him 

 between North Wootton and Barrow at twelve 

 minutes to four, after a real old-fashioned run of 

 four hours and eight minutes. The first check 

 took place at Evercreech, to which point the time 

 was fifty - eight minutes ; the next was under 

 Pennard House, two hours and thirty-five minutes 

 from Evercreech ; and from West Pennard Church, 

 where hounds checked for the last time before the 

 end, was a race of about twenty minutes. The 

 last scene was a strange one, for the fox jumped 

 into the apron of an old woman who was guarding 

 the door of her cottage, and hounds killed him 

 at the woman's feet as he fell back out of her 

 apron. 



For lovers of hound-work there is attraction in 



* See "Record Runs" in 'Baily's Magazine.' 



