GOOD GALLOP FROM HARROW'S WOOD. 31 



ran for half a mile, and then to Bateslej' Heath, where he was run into after a 

 splendid run of thirty-five minutes. The hounds were then taken to Wybunbury 

 Moss, which was drawn blank, as also Doddington ; then to Harrow's Wood, where 

 a gallant fox immediately broke cover, going for Doddington. Near Bridgemere 

 he turned back and ran for Woore, leaving the Cauridden on the right in the 

 line for Burnt Woods. Ui) to Mucklestone bridge the pace had been tremendous, 

 and those who were not lucky enough to have their second horses were tailed 

 off, leaving a very few to tell of the sequel. Here the fox changed his course, 

 bearing to the left by Winnington over Lea Head and Aston Cliff to the Bittern's 

 Wood, where he was viewed, the hounds close at him. Tacking about here, he 

 headed for Maer Hills, in which he never stopped, but on by Chorlton to Swin- 

 church, where he turned back, and at Chorlton the hounds came to a check for 

 the first time. Maiden, who had gone well through the run on his second horse, 

 found him quite done ; but, fortunately, the lad who was on the horse he had been 

 riding in the first run came up, and, having changed his nag, he made a judicious 

 cast, recovered his fox going for Swynnerton Park, within two fields of which 

 he was pulled down, after as good a run as it has been my fortune in twenty-five 

 years to witness. Time, two hours forty minutes ; distance, about sixteen miles 

 from point to point, about thirty miles of country. Too much praise cannot be 

 awarded to old Joe for the admirable condition in which he brought his liounds 

 into the field, and his wonderful skill in hunting them over this woodland country. 

 He was well mounted, having two firstrate horses out, and goes ahead as well as 

 in his early days. 



" Yours, etc., 



" Tallyho." 



Maiden's short account of this day's sport in his diary 

 reads as follows : " Fast forty minutes and killed. Found 

 again Harrow's Wood ; by Barr Hill through Maer Hills, 

 by Chapel Chorlton and Stableford, and killed close to 

 Swynnerton Park. Two hours and forty minutes." 



On March 16th, 1849, meet Siddington Toll Bar, 

 Maiden records in his diary : " Found at Cock's Moss. 

 Ran through North Rode Park and Swythamley Park, and 

 killed at Beck Forest Bottom. Two hours and fifteen 

 minutes. Distance, fifteen miles as crow flies." 



This must have been an exceptionally good run, and 

 through an unusual line of country, finishing not very far 

 from Macclesfield. It is to be regretted that we have not 

 been able to discover any detailed account of this run. 

 The Vates sacer appears to have been decidedly more 

 scarce in the forties than in more modern times. On 

 December 20th, 1849, Maiden also records an old-fashioned 

 hunting run : " From the Big Wood at Trentham away 

 over Tittensor Common by Yarnfield. Changed foxes near 



