GALLANT RUN WITH THE BELVOIR HOUNDS. 189 



yards, he ran the Towing-path, and then crossed over 

 the bridg-e. 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 highf North Road, 

 and, going by the north-end of the town, went over 

 the river, and the Earths by the mill ; 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 cover on the right, and 

 Bassenthorpe Village on the left, and, topping the 

 hill, went away for Burton Slade Wood ; when, the 

 company being now reduced to five or six persons, 

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

 the spirit, exertion, and strength of our extraordinary 

 fox, undiminished and unbroken, and a prospect of 

 an immediate change in these great Woodlands, it 

 was deemed advisable to whip off the hounds at this 

 point;]: ; which was effected, with much difficulty, by 



• They went through a small garden close to the village. 



t Very few horsemen went forward from hence ; — horses were to be seen in 

 all parts of the country in great distress, and the only gentlemen who were at the 

 conclusion, were Messrs. Forester, Berkeley Craven, and Vansittart; and of these> 

 the two latter had not been near the hounds during the severe part of the run, 

 after the fox jumped up in view between Redmile and Bottesford. 



X Of twenty-one couples of hounds that were out, eighteen and a half couples 

 were either immediately with the pack at the time of stopping them, or caiue up 

 with the huntsjieople immediately after. Among the stoutest hounds were 

 particularly distinguishable, Traveller and Helen. 



