148 HUNTING REMINISCENCES 



killed by hounds sent from Belvoir to the Blue 

 IMountains of Southern India. 



The fastest gallop of the season happened on 

 February 16th from Coston Gorse, hounds racing 

 like wild - fire towards Wymondham, past the 

 villages of Coston, Sproxton, and Buckminster, 

 away in the direction of Woodwell Head, where 

 he turned sharp back to his starting-point. Those 

 nearest to them were Captain Smith, Mr. John 

 Welby, and Will Wells; the big field of the 

 morning, numbering some three or four hundred, 

 being scattered all over the country. Unfortu- 

 nately this good fox beat the pack near to Stoke 

 Rochford, for next day Will Charity the keeper, 

 and noted terror of the poaching fraternity, picked 

 up a dead one lying in the middle of a field not far 

 from Coston Gorse. 



Two nice gallops are recorded on February 19th, 

 the first being a scurry lasting twenty minutes 

 from Old Hills ; and whilst hounds were breaking 

 up their fox in covert another was halloaed away 

 from it. His point was to the artificial earths 

 in Grimston Gorse, from which a terrier bolted, and 

 old Fencer getting hold, gave him a good shaking, 

 but he slipped through the pack like an eel, and so 

 saved his brush. The third fox, started from 

 Clawson Thorns, gave the run of the day by 

 Holwell Mouth, Little Belvoir, Welby Church, 

 back by Wartenby stone pits as if he meant the 

 Curate's Gorse. Being hard pressed, he turned for 

 Dalby, and they fairly raced into him after running 

 one hour and a half. Out of a large field those 



