ii8 FOX-HUNTING IN THE SHIRES 



was never a pause or a hover till Woodwell Head 

 was in sight ; when two fields short of this, the 

 hounds cast themselves to the left and then to the 

 right. One touched the line and with the Belvoir 

 note, like a bell, called the others to him, swung round 

 in the beautiful Market Overton valley, and marked 

 the fox to ground at Edmonthorpe. From Buck- 

 minster to Woodwell Head, it is said, they took but 

 twenty-three minutes, and seventeen minutes on to 

 the finish. On New Year's Day, 1896, they ran the 

 same line from Buckminster to Woodwell Head, and 

 among those who saw and enjoyed this gallop were 

 the late Lord Edward Manners, then field master of 

 the Belvoir hounds, and M. Roy, a Frenchman who 

 was ever constant to Grantham in the hunting season, 

 though often going back to spend his Sundays in 

 Paris. 



When once on the subject of hunting from Grantham, 

 it is tempting to hnger, yet enough has been said to 

 show that it is no bad centre for a man whose whole 

 mind is set on hunting, yet who wishes to be within 

 reach of London. The man who goes to Grantham 

 should make up his mind to hunt chiefly with the 

 Belvoir and to share the local interest in and en- 

 thusiasm for this famous pack. He should love 

 hound work and study it, or he will lose half his 

 pleasure. Yet must he be able to ride up to the pack, 

 or he cannot know what is going on. If you never 

 see the hounds, what difference is it whether the 

 Belvoir hounds are before you or a scratch pack of 

 staghounds ? 



Therefore, being lovers of hunting, it is well to 

 ask ourselves whether we are prepared to ride to 

 hounds. We shall generally have room. Even near 

 Melton there is often room at the top of the hunt, 



