LORD SOUTHAMPTON 131 



become very slack, and from all accounts seldom went 

 out ; he had since he took the hounds improved a 

 good deal in his riding, so it was a matter of no little 

 surprise to find him become so indifferent to hunting 

 during his last season. 



In addition to many other good runs enjoyed by the 

 Ouorn during the time Lord Southampton was master, 

 may be mentioned one which took place on the 4th 

 March 1831, the best, according to some authorities, 

 that had been recorded since the famous Billesdon 

 Coplow run in the year 1800. The Ouorn met at 

 Brooksby, the hunting residence of Lord Brudenell. 

 The popularity of a Ouorn Friday was even then 

 established, for there was a field of almost abnormal 

 proportions present. The early morning was suffi- 

 ciently hazy as to cause not a few followers of the 

 hounds to consider whether hunting would be possible ; 

 but by eleven o'clock the weather was bright enough, 

 and no better day could have been desired. 



The first draw was Cream Gorse, in which a fox was at once 

 found, and he made the best of his way to Ashby Pasture, a line 

 which has been lauded over and over again by many a generation 

 of hunting men. It was one of those grand scenting days which 

 come all too seldom in the course of a season, and hounds never 

 gave their fox a moment's rest. Right through Ashby Pasture 

 they drove him, and then the fox bethought him of doubling back 

 to try if his original home, Cream Gorse, would afford the shelter 

 he required. He deemed it better not to run the risk of coming 

 to closer quarters with the pack, and so skirting the gorse shaped 

 his course for Frisby and crossed the Leicester turnpike road. 

 The passage over this highway was not of superlative difficulty 

 for the field ; but when the fox was found to have crossed the 

 Wreake river the way was not so plain. Lord Gardner, a fine 

 horseman, and Lord Brudenell, who turned aside from nothing, 

 came down at the water nearly side by side, and in company 

 with Will Derry, one of the whippers-in, reached the far side in 

 safety, leaving many of their companions unable to effect a 

 crossing by the same route. Meantime the fox had set his mask 



