i886. 177 



coming down, tlie scent failed, and the Master, 

 who carried the horn, took hounds home. 



January 14th. — 



The meet was the popular one of Hen- 

 stridge Ash, and a good field, as usual, were 

 assembled there by eleven o'clock. We went to 

 Prior's Down, and found a cat, a few rabbits, 

 and presently a " gone away " on the Stalbridge 

 side announced a " better beast of chase." Full 

 of ride w^as ever^^body, and we went merrily over 

 the lovely Vale, but, unluckily, for a few fields 

 only, for we came to a sudden check at the 

 railwa}^ ; and after some dela}^ we went to a field 

 near to the line close under Stalbridge Station, 

 and there he had gone to ground ; one hound. 

 Pitiless, followed him in, and he bolted into the 

 middle of the pack, who made short work of 

 him. Our next draw was Stalbridge Park 

 Wood, but, though hounds ran him well up to 

 the Park wall, we there mysteriously lost him. 

 We then went to the Gorses by Bowden Lane, 

 and found at once, running backwards and 

 forwards between Spurles and Bowden for some 



N 



