1872—73.] OVER THE GRASS WITH THE COTTESMORE. 9.9 



out of the road was to be jumped, but only with prompt self- 

 sufficiency in the face of a crowd charging down it. At any 

 rate, the dangerous quality was not to the fore now, and 

 another hundred yards to a gate was accepted as the alterna- 

 tive. The pack had almost disappeared over the steep brow 

 above the village as Mr. Gosling and Capt. Eiddell rose it, and 

 a sudden twist to the left unsjghted them, and of course all 

 behind, for half a moment ; but they failed to make up very 

 little of their ground as they chased down the half-dozen clean 

 and prett}"^ fences that smoothed the next mile. To Launde 

 Wood the pace was good as need be, and so it was for some 

 few minutes on beyond — half the pack by some mischance 

 breaking with another fox into the wood, while the remainder 

 kept on past it. The ugly gully interposing here had its one 

 weak point, which Capt. Smith took little time to discover, 

 and Mr. Thornton little more to break into a high road for 

 those that came after. The next jump was a double in and 

 out of a small stackyard, which, however pleasant it might 

 have been to give a lead over, was, we mind well, trying enough 

 when it came to taking one, for it rapidly assumed the character 

 of a peat bog. A wide, cold plough brought the first check, 

 or rather caused the first slow progress, for the hounds had 

 to hunt their way unassisted through it. West having been 

 delayed some time in his efibrts to bring the deserters to his 

 horn. 



Thus far was the quick part of the run ; but they failed not 

 to do further justice to one of the stout straight foxes that 

 have brought such credit to High Leicestershire of late years. 

 Hunting quickly and well, though with only half their num- 

 bers, the hounds held on, giving their field both galloping and 

 jumping (which, they tell me, is rapidly getting to be looked 

 upon as a desirable adjunct to hunting in these parts) for some 

 miles over a straight and beautiful line of country. Prior's 

 Coppice was left wide on the right, Orton Park Wood as far 

 out of the question on the left, till Oakham appeared in view, 

 and Barleythorpe was within a few fields, when scent failed in 



H 2 



