THE HISTORY OF THE BELVOIR HUNT 



now ran again very hard over this beautiful country, leaving 

 Sedgebrook on their left, with their heads direct for Barrowby 

 Thorns. After going within two fields of that covert they 

 suddenly turned to the right and ascended the hill that lies 

 between the Nottingham road and the Thorns, on the top 

 of which is a clump of fir trees. From this point several 

 horses dated their discomfiture. The hounds after ascending 

 the hill proceeded without any relaxation of pace, leaving 

 Barrowby Thorns half a mile to their right, pointing for 

 Gunnerby village, but when they entered Gunnerby open 

 field they turned sharp to the right, and going over a hollow 

 that runs up from Grantham, they crossed the hill on the 

 other side, went over Earle's fields, and came down to the 

 canal within 200 yards of the wharf at Grantham. The fox 

 had intended to nick a swing bridge ^ opposite the toll bar, 

 but, having missed his point by 300 yards, he ran the towing 

 path and then crossed over the bridge. A man who was 

 there informed us that he had pushed across during the time 

 he was actually standing upon it, and that he was then ten 

 minutes before us. Crossing the Melton turnpike road we 

 now ascended the hill, and, leaving Harlaxton Wood just 

 upon the right, went away at great speed on the part of the 

 hounds to Straxton. Leaving this place immediately on the 

 right, they crossed the earths and made a straight point 

 down to Great Paunton town. Here they crossed the high 

 north road, and, going by the north end of the town, went 

 over the river and the earths by the hill, ascended the 

 opposite hill, and, going across the stone quarry, skirted 

 Paunton Wood as if bound for Boothby, but, turning to the 

 right, went over the fine country to Stoke Park. They left 

 that covert on the right and Bassenthorpe village on the 

 left, and, topping the hill, went away for Burton Slade Wood, 

 where, the company being now reduced to five or six persons, 

 the horses of the huntspeople tired and not in sight, the spirit 

 and exertion of our extraordinary fox undiminished and 

 unbroken, it was deemed advisable to whip off hounds at this 

 point, which was done by Cecil Forester and one or two 



' The fox crossed all water by the bridge. 

 90 



