330 THE CREAM OF LEICESTERSHIRE. [Season 



ran the steep gorges that lead to Sowerhy. Another deep 

 valley took them between Somerby and the Punchbowl, and 

 carried them on to Ijeesthorpe — the first twenty minutes 

 having been racing pace, and the run throughout being very 

 quick, with hounds never lifted except for one smgle second's 

 help. They were over Leesthorpe Big Field almost before 

 any horseman entered it, and the nearest of these were 

 Messrs. T. and F. Cradock, Mr. Johnson, the Huntsman, and 

 the new first whip, George Cottrell, from the Belvoir. Straight 

 on they fiew for Wild's Fiodge, near which a cart had diverted 

 the fox in his route ; and, bearing away short of Berry Gorse, 

 they struck up the hill towards Eanksborough. On reaching 

 the pseudo-Whissendinc, however, they held along its farther 

 bank for Stapleford (hounds aliout this period running quite 

 alone), got up to their fox a field before reaching Laxton's 

 Covert, and for some seconds were all round him in a hedge- 

 row. Firr had come up to them again, and the prize seemed 

 almost in his hand. But the luck of war Avas against him. 

 His fox slipped through their midst, and reached, first the 

 covert, and then a drain under the road, and so a splendid 

 run ended without blood. Hounds must have covered some 

 thirteen or fourteen miles of country, and did it, not merely 

 unassisted, but most of the time running far ahead of eveiyone, 

 though some half-a-dozen men were riding as straight and 

 hard as if Christmas had passed and carried off all leaf from 

 hedges and grass from ditches. The day was bright and cold 

 and sunshiny : there was a great scent (as need not be said) : 

 and their fox must have been of wonderful stoutness to stand 

 before them thus. If we see many runs that can compare 

 with this for point, time, and distance, the season of '80-81 

 will indeed be an exceptional one. 



