186 THE CREAM OF LEICESTERSHIRE. [Season 



after the horses of Mr. C. Chaplin and three others were too 

 tired to follow ; and his run, counting from the original start 

 at Orton Park, may be put down as about two hours and forty- 

 five minutes. 



On Saturday (December SOtli) the Cottesmore had a very 

 fast fifteen minutes from Gunby Gorse to ground (witnessed 

 only by Captains Coventry and Smith, Sir John Lister Kay, 

 and Messrs. Frewen and A. Coventry). The gallop took them 

 to the borders of the big woods, and just escaped the plough 

 throughout. 



A BELVOIR FOX AXD A QUOIIX PHI. 



Thvksday, Jamaiiy lliir. 

 To resume with Saturday last, the Gth, when the Belvoir 

 were at Goadb}', and tlie first week of the New Year was 

 brought to a sjiorting and satisfactor}' conclusion. The meet 

 being well within distance, it followed, according to unwritten 

 rules much in vogue, that the time allowed for the journey to 

 covert might be reduced to the finest of minimums, and every 

 chance be run of being left behind. And yet the Belvoir were 

 almost iiunctual to-da}^ and the calculating ones had barely 

 time to vent the morning anathema on the " stupidest ass that 

 ever took a horse on to covert," ere hounds were away with a 

 rattle from Goadby Bullamore. Often aiid again has it been 

 said that the foxes of Goadby were, from over-nurture and too 

 kindly pampering, but cowardl}' instances of the true domestic 

 vulp. But Goadby retrieved its credit and hurled off the im- 

 peachment right bravely to-day, for it sent forth a representa- 

 tive that it took an eight-mile point to kill. Of this the first 

 hour's work ofiered comparatively little of excitement, the chief 

 interest centreing in the final half-hour and the satisfactory kill. 

 I have before had occasion to describe the chain of overhanging 

 coverts which border the vale of Belvoir, and finall}' merge 

 into the Quorn country to the south-west. As these pass 



