28 THE CREAM OF LEICESTERSHIRE. [Season 



twelve, and the Prince was well up to time, for he drove up very 

 soon afterwards, amid such a demonstration as nearly made the 

 horses jump out of their skins, and the pack disperse all over the 

 place in a state of excited bewilderment. What with the crowd 

 cheering, grooms holloaing at their charges, the huntsman 

 blowing his horn, and the whips rating, there was a Babel that 

 would have stunned one who could not find relief in laughter. 

 After H.R.H. had spent a quarter of an hour among the party 

 assembled in the hall, he was called upon to perform a duty that 

 must have been much more congenial to him than lajdng first 

 stones or opening buildings for learned societies. This was 

 sowing the first seeds of a new covert, which Col. Burnaby's 

 liberality had prompted him to present to the hunt in com- 

 memoration of the occasion. The initials " A. E." were cut out 

 in the turf, and the ceremony was gone through with all due 

 solemnity. May many a good run in the future recall the natal 

 day of the gorse, and the breath that screams the who-whoop 

 shall mutter fervently " God bless the Prince of Wales ! " 



Having given such a welcome to his royal guest and a large 

 field, the sporting host made all complete by finding a fox for 

 them in one of the little plantations at the back of the house. 

 The high ground of Baggrave and Lowesby was so choked with 

 snow that riding was impossible — even by the Rugby division, 

 who don't come all that way to go through gates. Otherwise, 

 for point, distance, and country, and at times for pace, the run 

 was a very sporting one. They kept going on continually, the 

 line was straight and open, and under other circumstances a great 

 deal of enjoyment might have been gathered. The course pur- 

 sued was for a few fields towards Lowesby, then direct between 

 T^^-3'ford village and Ashby Folville, round Thorpe Trussells to 

 Great Dalby village ; and leaving the latter on the left, past Gar- 

 tree Hill, near which the fox was lost. He was dead beat in 

 front of the hounds at Dalby village, and must have lain down in 

 a hedgerow or got into a drain. At any rate he lived for another 

 day. Ashby Pastures and Cream Gorse contained two vixen 

 foxes, who were only saved from the pack by immense exertions 



