260 HUNTING REMINISCENCES 



Cooper. Two gentlemen of the hunt who rode 

 both runs were Captain Cecil Thorold, who as a 

 boy remembered taking a fall, and Mr. James 

 Hutchinson, whose horse died four days afterwards 

 from the severity of the run. After marking to 

 ground we returned to Dunsby Wood, and there 

 encountered two garrulous old woodmen who had 

 a vivid recollection of the great run in December 

 1865, "and the sight of 'osses as never got 'ome 

 after it, though the gents dried the only public- 

 house by givin' their mounts an alarmin' sight of 

 beer." The distance of that great run was 17 miles 

 from point to point, the time being two hours and 

 forty-five minutes at a good holding pace without 

 much of a check. This stout fox was roused in 

 Ancaster Gorse, and ran by Welby Hazels, Ropsley, 

 Lenton, Laughton, crossing the London and Lincoln 

 road at the 103 mile -stone. Passing through 

 Rippingale, the father of Sir John Lawrance, Q.C., 

 viewed him going for Haconby Fen. Cooper the 

 huntsman remarked that every hound but one was 

 up at the finish, including five couple of that year's 

 entry. Returning to the present, Frank fulfilled 

 the traditions of the past by whipping off at 

 Osgodby Coppice when it was dusk. 



The number of hunting days this season was 100, 

 and 86 foxes and a badger killed, with .50 marks to 

 ground. 



