106 HUNTING REMINISCENCES 



Gillard's diary are full of interest to the sportsman, 

 and we quote the doings of November 26th. " With 

 the second fox from Normanton Little Covert we 

 ran very fast, first towards Bottesford, then turned 

 and crossed the new railway, and river Devon, going 

 on to Orston Wind Mill, and back again by Staunton 

 right into Bottesford village, where we killed in the 

 street opposite Mr. Norman s house. This was a 

 good fifty-five minutes and a very satisfactory finish, 

 especially as our fox threaded his way through the 

 village, making it very difficult for hounds, as is 

 generally the case when near bricks and mortar. 

 Those hounds that distinguished themselveswere old 

 Nero, Spinster, Crusty, Redcap, Rocket, Dauntless, 

 and the Saffron young bitches Sanguine, Spangle, 

 Sorcery, and Starlight. The latter especially pleased 

 me by making hits and driving their foxes when 

 scent served them." Old Nero had a voice that 

 any one might distinguish and remember, there was 

 such a ring with it. Saffron was a hound very much 

 admired, for he was as level as ever you saw one, 

 and his daughters were so good in their work, no 

 day was too long for them ! "It was beautiful to 

 have to hunt such hounds," added Frank with a 

 sigh, as he viewed in memory every hound named 

 in the account of the day's sport. 



December 12th was the " Melton Pink Wedding 

 Day," the Duke of Rutland arranging for his hounds 

 to meet at the House, Melton Mowbray, the resi- 

 dence of his cousin Colonel Markham, in honour of 

 his daughter's marriage, JNIiss Cecil INIarkham, to 

 JNIr. Cecil Samuda ; the noble master, the members 



