8S 



hunting run, but to be appreciated only by those who rode to hunt, 

 for the country was rough and hilly, though the pace was fair. It 

 was, however, rather too much of a good thing — about two hours 

 and thirty minutes — and very distressing to the few horses that 

 •went it. Point to point over eight miles, hills and line making up 

 fully sixteen miles. 



Early in Briscoe's time, about Christmas, 'Gl, a fox took us from 

 Carrigtruss as straight as he could go into Castlemorres, with a 

 blazing scent and in the teeth of a sjiowstorm — about live miles. I 

 forget the time, but it was as fast a run as ever I saw. The snow 

 began to fall just as the fox went away, but so heavy did it come 

 down that the country was white when we got to the end of this 

 short but splendid spin. Hounds could not hunt a yard after getting 

 into Castlemorres woodlands. 



Again I remember a curious, but very different, sort of run, which 

 we had in, I think, 18G9. Three hounds got away close to their fox 

 out of Ballydurn, while the body of the pack was hunting in covert. 

 Mr. Briscoe shouted to the late Mr. Tom Lalor and myself to stop 

 them. This we manfully essayed to do, but to accomplish which we 

 should have had to get to their heads. This, after going as hard as 

 our horses could carry us for f ally a mile, we found to be an utter 

 impossibility, for they were simply racing. When we found we could 

 not get to their heads, poor Lalor and I thought we might as well try 

 to stick to their tails, so ding-dong we clapped after the flying Graces. 

 They raced their fox to the fence of Duckett's Wood, but so pressed 

 was he that he had to change his point, which was evidently Curragh- 

 more, and wheeled sharp to the left, going through Whitestown, 

 leaving Clonea Village to the right, and slap up to the foot of the 

 Comeraghs, where, not a hundred yards in front of these three match- 

 less bitches, he got to ground under Crotty's Eock. The distance 

 this couple and a half ran their fox was between seven and eight 

 miles, and at a pace which I don't think could have been exceeded in 

 speed by hounds, but I did not take the time. There was not the 

 slightest hesitation, for they ran the whole time as if they were in 

 view. These beauties were two fields ahead of Lalor for the last two 

 miles, and I was a field behind him. 



From our lofty position on the side of the mountain we could see 

 the body of the pack and its followers hunting our line. When they 

 came up to us in process of time, by .Jove ! we caught it hot and heavy 

 for having gone away with three hounds before the body had 

 got up I I am very sure Lord Waterford remembers the incident 

 well, for although he left the administration of "damson pie" to 

 Briscoe, who was then Master, I have a notion his lordship would 

 have liked to have added a little juice to the aftercourse, but he 

 considerately restrained himself ! That was all mighty fine, but I 

 am very sure that there were not two men out, including both his 

 lordship and Briscoe, who would not have done precisely what Lalor 

 and I were abused for if they had been in our places that same day ! 



