1873—74.] THE QUORN IN LUCK. 115 



in Sliob}' Scholes. As happened in a similar instance two 

 years ago, they set off again from here on greatly improved 

 terms, and, streaming away fast over the brow beyond, 

 descended straight upon the two Shob}'' bottoms of dreaded 

 memory. A very feasible place was found where the first 

 could be flown, though by no means pleasant as the plot 

 thickened on its banks. But the second was a yawner — too 

 wide to jump, and too steep to crawl ; in fact, the onl}^ chance 

 was to flop hap-hazard into the mud, and trust to your horse's 

 back and loins to scramble up the other side. Captain Candy 

 first essayed it successfully, then Tom Firr, then two others, 

 and the next comer remained in it, to the exclusion of further 

 adventure in that direction. This difficulty surmounted, it 

 became comparatively plain sailing, though it was only clever 

 pilotage by which two gallant captains (both aforesaid) led the 

 field out of disastrous difficult}^ by popping in and out of a 

 little plantation of thick 3"oung firs. With quick good hunting 

 over the grass they took their fox to Wartnaby, and here were 

 in the same field with him. He could scarcely crawl up the 

 hedgerow before them ; but just sufficient strength remained 

 to him to creep out of their very jaws, and he got to ground 

 in a drain under the farmyard above Saxelby Spinney. Here 

 he had to be left after this good sporting run of something over 

 an hour, when hounds and huntsmen had fully earned a final 

 triumph. B}' the way, I should be very remiss if I left Mrs. 

 Clifford Chaplin's riding on this day without a word of lauda- 

 tion ; for throughout both these severe runs she was taking 

 every fence, and seeing all the sport. 



THE QUORN IN LUCK. 



Thursday, December 11. — Seldom in the annals of the hunt 

 — never during my experience — has such a succession of grand 

 sport fallen to the lot of the Quorn as during the week past. 



I 2 



