228 THE QUORN HUNT 



of the fox being shot, and was pointed out by Ben 

 Morgan as well in a fit of righteous indignation. Not 

 far off a brace of dead foxes were found hanofinpf on a 

 tree. Several other cases of fox-kill insf having taken 

 place, several people turned their backs on Melton, 

 among them being Mr. Palk, Mr. Surtees, Lord New- 

 port, Sir Walter Carew, Mr. Coke, Mr. Leslie, Mr. 

 Stirling Crawford, Mr. Oliver Massey, Captain Forester, 

 and some others. The mania for killing foxes was not 

 at this period confined to the Quorn country, for the 

 masters of the Pytchley, Atherstone, and Warwickshire 

 Hunts complained of the same thing, and this while old 

 oats were realising from 28s. to 32s. a quarter, beans, 

 hay, and straw also bringing remunerative prices. Esti- 

 mates of expenditure are not perhaps to be depended upon 

 for strict accuracy, but some one in Leicester who took 

 the trouble to make inquiries stated that the Pytchley, 

 Warwickshire, and Atherstone Hunts caused the circu- 

 lation of no less a sum than ,£90,000 in each country, 

 whilst the money spent in connection with the Quorn 

 involved the circulation of ,£120,000 a year, making an 

 estimated total of ^"390,000 for the four hunts. 



Meantime Sir Richard Sutton's hounds enjoyed 

 excellent sport, the season 1849-50 being especially 

 prolific in good runs. 



On Friday, 1 6th November 1849, hounds met at Houghton, 

 and finding a fox at Shangton Holt ran once or twice round the 

 covert, the fox next making for Hardwickes, and then, turning 

 to the right for Staunton Lodge, crossed the brook for Tur 

 Langton, but left that place on the right of Church Langton, and 

 after leaving Kibworth crossed a turnpike road between that place 

 and Glen, and passing in succession Lower Kibworth, Kibworth 

 Harcourt Church, and Carlton Clump, went to ground in a drain 

 at Smeaton, an hour and twenty-five minutes from the time of 

 finding. The first fifteen minutes, however, were occupied in 

 running rings ; but for the last hour and ten minutes hounds ran 

 as hard as they could go ; drew away from the field and had all 

 the fun to themselves, there being no one near them when the 



