194 STAG-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 



we met by invitation in the old Berkshire country, which I 

 jotted down at the time. 



March 2, 1893. Posted from Swindon to Kitemore. Orr- 

 Ewing put up hounds, horses, and men at the kennels ; 

 self, horses and Samways at Kitemore. A very wet night. 

 However, it had faired up by the time we started. Water 

 out all over the place. Forded the redoubtable Eosey Brook 

 on our way to the meet, a lively but not inviting stream. 

 Van de Weyer, who I suppose has often been in it in old days, 

 had prepared me for its peculiarities. This morning it was 

 running bank-high and out over the banks. Took a mental 

 but futile note of the look of the ford we crossed by. A great 

 concourse at the turn-out. Foot-people for miles round. I 

 was told many had started at 4 a.m. to get there. Waggons, 

 musicianers and cock-shies. Might have been a country 

 race-meeting by the look of things. Serried ranks of 

 spectators drawn up on neighbouring high grounds com- 

 manding the Kosey. We were all hospitably entertained 

 by several capital farmers,^ living at Baulking; my host 

 had very pretty daughters. Sloe gin, I think it was — very 

 good, and fashionable heliotrope colour. Found the Beau- 

 fort contingent all landed up, well-mounted, and ready for 

 anything.^ Joe Moore had managed their journey arrange- 

 ments capitally. Turned out Blackback soon after twelve 

 o'clock, amidst great and general confusion. Fast-asleep, who 

 was very fresh, nearly threw me off by shying at the Aunt 

 Sallies, just as I was going to address the foot-people on 

 the situation. By the time T had recovered one stirrup 

 and my hat, Blackback was out of the cart. After going 

 two fields parallel to the brook the hill-folk turned him 



' Mr. Geoi-j^e Reade, Mr. llobert Whitfield, and ]\Ir. Thomas Matthews. 



- Messrs. .J. Hibbard, .James, Charles, and William Rich, .Joseph Moore, 

 .Joseph Large, and the late Mr. Frank Hiscock, all came up from the Duke of 

 Beaufort's country. 



