58 The Old Surrey Fox Hounds 



endeavoured to gain a small plantation near Worcester 

 Park. Here he could hold out no longer, and, after a 

 check of a few minutes, having been laid up in a hedge- 

 row, he was tally-hoed across a turnip field, and run into 

 in the open. This ended one of the best runs ever seen, 

 the country being principally grass, the fencing severe, 

 and pace excellent throughout. One hour and ten 

 minutes without a check. Distance twelve miles. Had 

 Reynard pursued his career to Coombe Wood, there would 

 not have been half a dozen in it at the finish, but altering 

 his route to Worcester Park enabled about seven or eight 

 of the right sort to hear the who-oop. Mr. H. Scott and 

 Mr. Charrington each claimed the brush, but, Tom Hills 

 declining to act as arbitrator, the matter was arranged 

 between them." 



With reference to the notable run just described, we may 

 point out that it is now certainly of special interest, not 

 only because the country over which it took place has 

 long been unhunted, but also because, when it was ride- 

 able, men who had galloped over it — we may imagine 

 their state of ecstasy — used to affirm that a Nimrod who 

 could negotiate it in the front rank was able to hold his 

 own with any hounds in England. At present, alas ! this 

 once beautiful bit of Surrey hunting country is quite 

 impracticable as regarded from that point of view. Most 

 of it is built on, much of it is wired : it has lost its pristine 

 charm. Yet, obviously, in 1838, it was paradisacal. 



We may also mention incidentally that Sir Edmund 

 Antrobus was Master when this run took place, and that 



