SPORT IN THE DRAYCOT COUNTRY. 159 



Grindley Station. Fifty-five minutes without a check. Went back to Birchwood 

 Park ; found and ran a lot of rings, but did little good. 



" January 16th, 1889. StoJce-hy-Stone.— Found in Orange Hayes. Ran a 

 ring by Shaw's Wood, and lost. Fovmd again in Hardiwack Heath ; ran a ring to 

 gi-ound in a drain ; bolted and killed him. Found another in Shaw's Wood. Ran 

 a ring back to Hardiwick Heath, and lost. Found another in the Lodge Plantation. 

 Pian some time, and killed near Shaw's Wood. 



''January 23rd, 1889. Bird-in-Eand.—Fonnd in Hose Wood. Ran to 

 Bromley Wood and the Gorse and New Close Sprink, and lost him at Painsley 

 Hall. Went back to Bromley Wood. Found, and ran a ring, but did no good. 

 Drew Sherratt's Wood blank, but found in Fradswell Heath. Ran by Sherratt's 

 Wood and Brindley's Wood to near Chartley, round by Gratwich and by the 

 river nearly to Leigh, and back to Birchwood Park, and lost him. A good hour 

 and five minutes." 



The writer was out, and tliis is his short 'diary entry of 

 the day's sport : 



" Hunting at Bird-in-Hand. Good run with third fox from Birchwood Park 

 round by Leigh and Field, etc." 



" Fehruary 20th, 1889. Dray cot Village. — Drew the Common blank ; found 

 in Hose Wood. Pan fast by Fulford and Spot Gorse to Cotwalton Drumble to 

 ground. Found another fox in Orange Hayes. Ran to Hardiwick Heath and Hilder- 

 stone Hall, on by Garshall Green to Fradswell Plantation and Birchwood Park, 

 through and to Chartley Park, and stopped hounds on a fresh fox." 



The present writer's diary entry is much to the same 

 effect, except that he adds that the first was a " good 

 gallop, and that hounds clean ran. away from everybody. 

 Every one got a good drenching," the day being very wet. 



" February 21th, 1889. Cressivell Ball. — Found in Shallowford Gorse. Ran 

 fast to Whitgreave, and lost. Found again in Cold Norton Gorse. Ran a ring and 

 lost him. Found a third in the gorse at Micklow House, and ran to ground at 

 Darlaston Wood. Found another at Meece Gorse, and ran very fast to Tittensor 

 Chase and stopped hounds at dark. 



" March 20th, 1889. Bird-in-Hand. — Drew Bromley Wood blank, but found 

 iu Hose Wood. Ran fast by Bromley Wood, the Bird-in-Hand, Hilderstone and 

 Milwich up to Fradswell Hall, and on to the Gorse at Chartley ; through it, over 

 the park by the Castle to the Moss, through and on by Grindley Station to the 

 river Blythe, and lost him at Kingstone AVoods. Did not draw again." 



This was a good and fairly straight gallop, and is thus 

 recorded in the writer's own diary : 



"Hunting at Draycot Woods. Found in Hose Wood. Good gallop by 

 Hilderstone, Fradswell, and Chartley, and lost on far side of Chartley Moss. 

 Very wet day, thoroughly soaked. Well carried." 



" March 27'h, 1889. Sherratfs Wood. — Drew the wood blank and Fradswell, 

 but found in Birchwood Park. Ran very fast round by Fradswell Drumble and 



