326 THE QUORN HUNT 



that ridden by the famous John Gilpin, when freed irom 

 his encumbrance careered merrily along, with the two 

 wheels dano-line a t his heels, and rushed in among a 

 batch of the field, causing them to scatter in all direc- 

 tions. The next contingent were up wind, and did not 

 hear the shouts of those who had been first attacked, 

 but, as a correspondent said, ''each wheel did its duty," 

 and scars innumerable on the hocks of the horses were 

 visible for some time after. 



The February of 1873 saw quite a throng of nota- 

 bilities at the Harborough Hotel, Melton Mowbray. 

 There is a story to the effect that one staunch member 

 of the Quorn Hunt, hearing that Prince Lichtenstein, 

 Prince Grisky, Prince Rohan, and Count Erdody were 

 amongst those present, declared that going out with the 

 Ouorn reminded him of hunting from Rome. On Mon- 

 day, February 9, their Highnesses went to meet the 

 Quorn hounds at Widmerpool Inn. They enjoyed a 

 very good day's sport, and it was expected that the 

 Prince of Wales would have come down to the Har- 

 borough Hotel at the same time, but for some reason or 

 other his visit was postponed. 



Mr. Coupland, having sold his stud at the end of the 

 season of 1871-72, was not long in getting together a 

 fresh supply for the following season, and it is said that 

 the fifty horses and more which were then housed in the 

 famous long stable at Ouorn and in other buildings were 

 an exceedingly good lot, showing more quality than 

 those he had possessed before, regard being had to their 

 character as well as their appearance. In a run, however, 

 which took place in February horses were at a discount, 

 as the pack had the fun all to themselves. When hunting 

 in the vicinity of Grace Dieu, the pack found a fox in a 

 small plantation near One Barrow Lodge, and ran him 

 at a pretty good pace up Timber Wood Hill. The field 

 were a little bit behind, and when Tom Firr and a few 



