136 HUNTING REMINISCENCES 



not until the first week in September that the 

 cubbing campaign could be started. Frost and 

 absence of scent at the very commencement made 

 sport moderate, proving the old saying, "A hard 

 Avinter follows a wet summer." This was verified 

 to the very letter, for hounds were stopped from 

 December 1st to 15th, as many as 37 degrees 

 of frost being registered in Leicestershire, after 

 which snow fell. The first day out, December 

 22nd, after the break-up of the wintry blast, found 

 the pack at Bottesford Station. To have hunted 

 anywhere else but in the low-lying country would 

 have been impossible, but an obliging fox started 

 from Normanton Thorns, stuck to the vale instead 

 of taking the high-level country, which was still 

 unridable, so that a run lasting one hour and a 

 half was scored by Foston, Bennington, Stubton, 

 ending at the Thirteen Acre Plantation. 



With the new year the conditions for sport 

 improved, and a good gallop was enjoyed on the 

 3rd from Tippings Gorse, hounds running very 

 hard to Stoke Rochford, where the fox was headed ; 

 turning to Sproxton Thorns, he crossed the brook 

 by Saltby. The lead was given by JVIr. Alfred 

 Cross, and as hounds ran over the Sproxton road 

 a postman told Frank that his fox was only a 

 minute in front. Want of daylight spoilt the 

 finish ; but in spite of this it was a capital day's 

 sport, " and had it been in a grass country, hounds 

 would have run away from horses," was the hunts- 

 man's opinion. The mention of the foremost rider 

 of this day's sport brings to mind the story of an 



