1870—71.] LAST QUORN MONDAY, 1871. 31 



merely led over an arm running up to the railway wharf. The 

 hounds settled the question at once, and the smooth surface of 

 the water tempted two followers. The one (who prohablj'' 

 went in to wash out the notoriety of a former essay) made good 

 his exit, and, as we galloped for the Ratcliffe bridge, was seen 

 holding on for bare life to the bridle of his horse, who had 

 slipped up on the bank and threatened to roll back from whence 

 he came. The other was bent on upholding the honour of the 

 Vale of Belvoir, and he too got safely out, but, unfortunately, 

 at the same spot where he went in. As it happened, the batli 

 was an unrewarded one ; for, though the hounds had come so 

 fast and well down to the river, there was but a poor scent 

 through the Rearsby Spinneys (where he was viewed close 

 before them), and a few minutes more brought us up to our 

 dripping friend — who must have concluded that it was a clear 

 case of "le jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle." The half-hour up 

 to the point of stoppage was all the real fun — and good indeed 

 it was, with plenty of pace, plenty of jumijing, and i^lenty of 

 quick sterling hunting. I may add that no one rode straighter, 

 or saw the run better, than did Mrs. Henry, on a clever flyer 

 that seems as if he could not put a foot wrong. After passing 

 in front of Mr. AVoodcock's house at Rearsby, they went slowly 

 on for more than another half-hour by the left of Queniboro' 

 almost to Gaddesby ; but the dust on wheat and fallows 

 smothered his track, and they could do no more good. 



As a last chance of picking up the hero of Cossington, the 

 master had the hounds held on to Barkby Holt, the onl}^ j)ro- 

 bable place of refuge near at hand. His primary object failed ; 

 but, instead, he was rewarded with such a gallop as will cast a 

 halo round the last days of the famous gorse.* Sacrilege in- 

 deed does it seem that a covert associated with such soul-stirrinff 

 memories is about to be wiped off the face of the earth. A fox 

 from Barkby has always been a synonymous term for a thrilhng 

 burst. No tract of country in Leicestershire is so consistent 



* Biivkby Gorse, erased at the end of this season, was shortly replanted Ly 

 the Hunt near its old situation* 



