PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS 



place, Hollywell. It was then getting dark ; a fresh fox had 

 jumped up and interfered with the sport by dividing the 

 pack, so it was considered necessary to stop the hounds. It 

 was a splendid scenting day, and there was no check what- 

 ever in this fine run, which was rather over an hour, and I 

 consider it to have been one of the best runs I ever saw ; Mr. 

 Tailby observed that it was the best run he had seen during 

 that season. I also recollect a particularly good gallop from 

 Burbidge's covert, the fox crossing the river at once and 

 passing near Berry Gorse without going into the covert ; 

 leaving Stapleford Park on the left, he went within a field or 

 two of Ranksboro Gorse ; here he made a sudden turn back 

 and made for Whissendine, in which village the hounds fairly 

 ran into him in a farmyard. I believe this run to have been 

 about forty minutes, and it was much talked about afterwards 

 as being one of the best things of that season. 



I will just mention one more fine run, which took place 

 towards the end of Cooper's career as Belvoir huntsman. 

 The fox was found in a covert called the Thirteen Acres, 

 which I believe to be on Sir John Thorold's estates, and 

 made his point straight for Barkston Gorse, and going 

 through that covert at once, he made off in the direction 

 of Caythorpe ; passing close to that village, he then went 

 down into the vale below Leadenham and took us over 

 a fine grass country, rather strongly fenced, well into Mr. 

 Chaplin's country, and he was pulled down in the open, 

 close to Wellingore. This splendid run lasted a little over 

 an hour. At the commencement of the run. Sir Hugh 

 Cholmeley's horse crossed his legs in rather a deep sandy 

 kind of ploughed field, and rolled over with him without 

 hurting him in any way. But at first he could not imagine 

 why the horse did not get up, but on looking at him carefully 

 he found that the calkin at the back of the hind shoe had 

 managed to get through the small ring at the bottom end of 

 the curb bit, and so completely tied his head up to his heels ; 

 so, of course, the bridle had to be pulled off before the horse 

 could get up. This was soon done, and he was none the 

 worse for the mishap, and Sir Hugh rode him through 



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