88 FOX-HUNTING IN THE SHIRES 



some twenty years later than Nimrod, describes the 

 fences well and from the point of view of one who 

 took them as they came. 



Norton Gorse comes in the draw on the same day 

 as Glen, It is a small artificial covert, very thick 

 and well cared for, for Mr. Fernie's huntsman takes 

 a great interest in the well-being of the coverts. It 

 was from this then our stranger started, and after 

 meeting the well-known brook, which you may have 

 to jump or ford according to the place the fox strikes 

 it, he says, " One of the most awkward fences was 

 one of the latter " (an ox fence), " from one grass 

 land into another, sloping down to it with a drop on 

 the other side and a very bad approach, the rail 

 dark coloured and hardly discernible." This the 

 writer cleared, as not a few would do to-day, and 

 his words describe not unfairly some of the obstacles. 



Indeed, this is a country for a quick, bold horse, 

 to say nothing of the man that rides him. Not long 

 ago hounds ran from Thurnby, a long narrow covert 

 of thorn and trees in a small dip, to Glen. This 

 country carries a burning scent at times, and on this 

 occasion hounds only hesitated twice, once when for 

 a moment they were carried over the line near Little 

 Stretton, and once when their fox was headed near 

 Glen, but it is a beautiful characteristic of this pack 

 — Mr. Fernie's bitches — that when once settled on 

 the line, no hounds could lose less time in casting 

 themselves for the scent, if for a minute they lose 

 it, or in picking it up again. They can always beat 

 horses, especially over this country, when there is 

 anything of a scent. So well, too, are foxes pre- 

 served and so carefully are these coverts kept that 

 the three coverts I have named, together with a 

 few spinneys, generally suffice for a whole day's 



