SPORT AT LAST 309 



few have doubtless slipped me at the moment, but the Hst 

 is more nearly complete than ever before of a Pytchley 

 field. I can only wish it included many others of our 

 hard-riding community, and more especially that of our 

 courteous and sport-loving Master. Lord Braye (acting 

 ALaster), Lord Southampton, Marquis Pizzardi, Mr. and 

 Mrs. Graham, Mr. and the Misses Fenvvick, Mr. and the 

 Misses Miller, Mrs. Byass, Mrs. Blacklock, Mrs. Chamber- 

 lain, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Mackenzie, Mrs. Osgood, Miss Cross, 

 Miss Darby, Miss M. Lowndes, General Clery, Captains 

 Alfrey, Askwith, Beach, Pender, Renton, Williams, and the 

 gentleman (I beg his pardon that I have forgotten his 

 name) from that high-sounding land Linlithgow-and- 

 Stirlingshire, Messrs. Adamthwaite, Bentley, Broom, Brown, 

 Curzon, Cooper, B. Chaplin, Czarnikov, Drage (2), J. 

 Darby, Fabling, T. Gilbert, Gees (2), Jameson, Kewley, 

 E. and R. Loder, Hetherington, Hipwell, Howkins (2), 

 Mills, senr. and junr., Muntz, Milner, Paton, Price, G. 

 Powell, Parnell, Wheeler, and Wroughton. 



As I have said, there was a lull in the storm as we stood 

 above Lilbourne Gorse, many of us already bedrenched, 

 the others shortly to be condemned to a hot struggle in 

 oilskin. Of all the good fox-coverts in Northamptonshire, 

 the gorse in question is apparently so placed as to make 

 it impossible for a fox to get away. Yet from no covert 

 in the hunt have we seen so many great gallops since — 

 well, say since the commencement of Lord Spencer's first 

 mastership. River and railway run below ; foot-people 

 invariably crown the grass-fields right and left ; while we, 

 usually in hundreds, block the upper end. But once again 

 a bold fox ran the gauntlet. He broke at once across the 

 great green pasture that stretches to Lilbourne church, 

 and crossed the Rugby road under a fire of view holloas 

 that might have been heard at the town last named. 



Too hurried and too muffled to look at my watch at the 

 moment, I appealed for assistance to one who rode by me, 

 and who never neglects to time a run, any more than he 

 leaves uncared for the best interests of the Hunt. Five 

 minutes later I fumbled to my waistcoat and took up the 

 timing for myself and my employers. 



