60 The Old Surrey Fox Hounds 



crossed about two miles above the Edenbridge station. 

 He next dashed over the fine grass meadows of Crowhurst, 

 swimming the Eden, where two gallant sportsmen bravely 

 faced the flood. One succeeded in getting through the 

 soft bottom to the opposite shore, whilst the other had to 

 perform the feat of wading to assist his horse, extricating 

 himself with difficulty. Deterred by those examples of 

 derring-do, the field thought discretion the better part 

 of valour, and kept the even tenour of their way beside 

 the river, crossing at the ford, near Serborough Castle, 

 the residence of John Tong, Esq., a thoroughly good 

 sportsman, and a cordial well-wisher of all good things to 

 the Old Surrey. Up to the Lingfield Road the pace had 

 been excellent and steadily maintained ; and the Nimrods 

 now rapidly diminished into a select few, the distance and 

 country telling on the jaded steeds : the right man 

 and horse only could be in the right place. Many a 

 keen cross-country sportsman was miles in the rear, and 

 the majority of the field had given it up, and were on 

 their way back to home, sweet home. The line was now 

 through a very stiff and difficult country, intersected with 

 deep hollows, through the large coverts of Cow Den, 

 where the hounds showed their first-rate hunting qualities, 

 picking the scent and driving their fox through, crossing 

 the boundaries of the county into Sussex by Furnace Mill 

 and Pond, which reynard swam, hard pressed by the pack. 

 The distance run over from the find at Old Park was now 

 certainly not short of nineteen miles ; the fox evidently 

 sinking, and pace again becoming good. He was now 



