The Present Day 109 



cull from the " Field " of 14 January, 1904, the subjoined 

 report, written by a supporter of these hounds : — 



" Several excellent runs have lately been scored with 

 the Old Surrey, and the 10th inst. proved an exceptionally 

 good day. The fixture was at Kingswood Warren, and 

 a move was made to Outwood, which was expected to 

 supply a fox, but on this occasion it proved tenantless. 

 On hounds being taken to Highurst, however, they found 

 directly, and slipped away at a pace which at once 

 proclaimed a rare scent. Through the Warren and down 

 the hill they raced to Mugswell and Gatwick Farm, 

 pointing towards Upper Gatton ; but, swinging to the 

 right, hounds carried the line up some double hedgerows 

 to Manor Farm and over the Reigate Road to Margery 

 Wood, when a slight check enabled a good many who 

 had been left behind to nick in again. Hounds quickly 

 hit off the line, and away we went along the top of the 

 Betchworth Hills, where our fox was viewed not far 

 ahead. Skirting the top of the Lime Pit, and leaving 

 the Hermitage on the right, the line led us over the 

 Pebble Hill road to Betchworth Clump, where a sharp 

 turn over the Box Hill road made it appear as though the 

 fox had been headed. But no check occurred, and, 

 passing the Hand in Hand, hounds pushed on to Birch 

 Grove and Bullinwood. Here, on the outskirts of Box 

 Hill, we had our first real check, and horses were glad of 

 it, as we had been going for just on forty minutes, and 

 unfortunately, as often happens, scent suddenly failed. 

 Although hounds patiently tried to work out the line of 



