1 886. 183 



January 28th. — 



After some days of frost a complete thaw set 



in, accompanied by such a fog that we wondered 



whether our eight days of compulsory repose 

 were going to be prolonged to a ninth ; but after 



a little delay at the door of Fifehead House 



the mist lifted, and the sun broke through 



overhead, and hounds moved on in the direction 



of West Stour, followed by a considerable field. 



Some hedgerows on Church Farm were drawn, 



and before long a welcome "holloa" from Ned 



pronounced that this farmer's friend had " gone 



away." Fast, too, at first ; along the fields by 



Bogley, on to Sandley, and down to the railway, 



where a train whistled by not a yard in front of 



hounds, but happily the fox had made a sudden 



short turn to the right, which saved the pack 



from death and destruction. However, they 



crossed behind the vanishing train, and went on 



for Langham. Then to Quarr, and bearing 



right as if for Bailey Withybed, but not 



touching it, we sunk the Vale and galloped on, 



over a now rougher country, under Cucklington 



Wood, and on, over the hill to Bourton village 



