LEICESTER AND NORTHAMPTON 107 



has been marked by some great runs on the Charn- 

 wood side, and indeed the Quorn had all their best 

 sport there at the beginning of the season. The 

 country is not attractive after the grass fields of 

 Leicestershire, for, although the forest is a thing of 

 the past, yet the coverts are thick and strong and 

 of considerable extent. If, however, the country is 

 well worked foxes will travel from it, and it has 

 been remarked that this side is free from the stain 

 of cattle and sheep, and from men and dogs. It is 

 rather a dangerous country to ride over, and two 

 famous hunt servants, Dick Burton and the late 

 Tom Firr, both had severe falls among the stones 

 and rocks ; and it is well known that from the last 

 fall he had in the forest Firr never really recovered. 

 It was in that country too that the present master. 

 Captain Bums-Hartopp, had a very severe accident. 

 It is usual to keep horses specially for the forest side 

 because of the liability to injury from the stones 

 and walls which form part of the obstacles. Foi 

 the fixtures on the south side of the Midland Railway 

 from Leicester to Derby you may keep a cheaper 

 stamp of horse, but if hounds go away from Bunny 

 park on the north side of Barrow-upon-Soar or from 

 Prestwold, the fox may lead his followers into a 

 country which will test the best hunter Melton can 

 produce to cross it. All this country is open to the 

 Leicester man who may live and earn his daily bread 

 there, or to the visitor from elsewhere who knows 

 how to combine business with pleasure, and brings 

 a horse with him or hires one from Mr. Hames. 



But if the visitor came from a provincial country, 

 I should not take him out on Tuesday with the Quorn, 

 but endeavour to beguile him to wait for Thursday 

 with Mr. Fernie, or Friday with the Quorn, for did 



