122 THE QUORN HUNT 



supply of foxes had suffered in consequence, and the 

 local journal entertained fears not only for the litters in 

 the immediate vicinity of the quarries, but also in the 

 Alscroft and Newtown Woods, as well as in the Grooby 

 coverts, Barndon Hill, Grace Dieu Park, and the Forest 

 generally. In Oakley, Piper, and Spring Woods, and a 

 few other places, there was reason to hope for better 

 things, and there was something like a chance for the 

 Melton and Harborough sides. In earlier days, when 

 every possible care was taken, "an importation of foxes 

 was almost uniformly necessary in the Ouorndon Hunt," 

 but the paper in question reminded its readers that this 

 was not to be wondered at considering that, as the hounds 

 were out every day, more foxes were killed in the Ouorn 

 than in any other hunt in England. 



Lord Southampton certainly started at a disadvantage, 

 for he was young and knew nothing about hunting. 

 Moreover, when he signified his intention of taking the 

 Ouorn country he had neither hounds, that is to say none 

 to speak of, nor huntsman. Mr. Osbaldeston left some 

 old stagers (about forty couples, it is said), considerably 

 blemished ; some of them had lost an eye. Lord 

 Southampton bought about twenty couples from Mr. 

 Nicolls, of the New Forest, but there was not a sound 

 hound among them. To these cripples and aged ones 

 were added about twenty couples from Mr. Musters 

 and some from Belvoir, so that "on paper" the scratch 

 kennel appeared fairly strong, but out of the whole no 

 huntsman could have made up one decent pack, for the 

 Belvoir hounds were nearly twice the size of those from 

 the New Forest. With this material did Lord South- 

 ampton attempt to maintain the prestige of the famous 

 Quorn Hunt. 



Lord Southampton, however, was unremitting in his 

 endeavours to show sport ; he considered the farmers' 

 interests and was extremely popular with them, while his 



