116 THE CREAM OF LEICESTERSHIRE. [Seasok 



Other packs have been having their share of success ; but the 

 Quom have had more than their share, and mj' task is no light 

 one to record their triumphs alone. Such consistent sport as 

 they have shown on consecutive days — i.e., their hunting days 

 — is something almost marvellous ; for, though all the good 

 combinations of management, popularity, weather, and scent 

 were in their favour, some good genius must have further 

 imbued the hearts of their foxes with a desire to lend all the 

 help thej' could. In short, they have seemed unable to draw 

 a covert without the result of a good run with a good fox. 



The first two daj's — Tuesday, December 2, and Thm'sday, 

 December 4 — I must cut short, and get my readers as soon 

 as possible on to the more favom'ed side of the country. 

 These, then, were fixed respectively for The Ruins at Bradgate 

 Park, and Willoughby. On the former day assembled a vast 

 concourse of men on foot, with a mixed multitude on horse- 

 back and in carriages ; and, apparently, there had been a 

 strike in every factory in Leicester for the occasion. With a 

 diplomacy, however, that deserved its success, Mr. Coupland 

 made terms with them by promising that if they would restrain 

 themselves from shouting and forbear from entering the coverts, 

 he would do his best to kill a fox for them, otherwise he would 

 be obliged to trot off to a distance. Galling as must have been 

 the prohibition, the}^ accepted and maintained their bargain 

 honourably ; while a short-running fox enabled the master to 

 fulfil his part to their loud satisfaction, and all hands, having 

 been present at the kill and worry, went home delighted 

 adherents of the national pastime. A second fox soon being 

 found at BensclifTe Wood, they went away at once for a capital 

 forest run, past the Beacon and round by Buck Hill and the 

 Out Woods, right into Loughborough town, in about thirty- 

 five minutes. The hounds here worked him dead beat through 

 several gardens, when he met an inglorious end by crawling 

 under a stick heap, from which some boys dislodged him, 

 knocked him on the head, popped him into a bag, and carried 

 him promptly off to be stuffed. The young ruffians even 



