234 THE CREAM OF LEICESTERSHIRE. [Season 



stop. Their heads went up helplessly ; and no effort of Neal's 

 sufficed to recover the lost thread. Coming quick over plough, 

 and halting in a moment where, at a cross hedgerow,' they 

 again reached good scenting turf — it seemed odds on their fox 

 having got to ground. But I learn since that the key to the 

 enigma is contained in the fact that he lay down in the plough, 

 dead heat, after hisffty minutes' travelling. The list of those 

 who had thus heen fortunate enough to get some work out of 

 their afternoon horses is so limited that I think I can give 

 it almost in its entirety. In addition to those mentioned 

 above there were Lord Manners, Captain Jacohson, Colonel 

 E. Chaplin, Lord Helmslej', Messrs. Finch, AV. Eichards, 

 C. Chaj)lin aiul Clayton. 



1 must now be allowed a word or two on a point, which may 

 bring me upon somewhat delicate ground. In the confident 

 hopt^ that my remarks will not be taken amiss, I Avill venture 

 the subject. It will, I think, be admitted by everyone that 

 the number of ladies who hunt now is at least ten-fold as com- 

 l)are(l with a dozen years ago — and the statement ma}' fairly 

 be endorsed with the words taut micu.r. I am one of tliose who, 

 far from cavilling selfishly at their presence, admit heartily the 

 advantages, direct and indirect, of their pailicijiating in a 

 pursuit, in which we men are too often charged with allowing 

 ourselves to be entirely absorbed, l^ut when ladies cast in 

 their lot with the rougher sex, lay themselves out to share in 

 all the dangers and discomforts incidental to the chase, and 

 even compete for honours in the scliool of foxhunting — they 

 should in common fairness be prepared to accept their position 

 on even terms, nor neglect to render in some degree mutual the 

 assistance so freely at their command, and that men in a 

 Leicestershire field so punctiliously afford to each other. The 

 point on which they prominently fail in this particular is, to 

 speak plainly, their habitual neglect — or incapacity — at (/ate- 

 icays. Given the rush and crush of three hundred people 

 starting for a run and jn-essing eagerly through a single way of 

 exit — to wit, an ordinary gate, swinging easily and lightly, 



