With the Fitzwilliam, 1 3 



as he hung to the covers and could not be forced 

 away; so, ringing about Clapton and Cocksbrook 

 Spinneys, he was lost. A second, however, was found 

 in Mariner's Gorse, which ran in the direction of Tich- 

 marsh and Old Western; but the day having become 

 wet and cold he gave but little sport, and the hounds 

 trotted off to the kennels at an early period of the 

 afternoon. The next day the fixture was Washingley. 

 The morning, which was fine at the commencement, 

 changed to heavy rain at nine o'clock, and the ride to 

 the meet, distant ten miles from Wansford, had to be 

 performed in a soaking downpour which left nothing 

 to be desired as far as water was concerned. Arriving 

 in good time, an opportunity offered of looking over 

 the 20 couples and a half following George Carter, 

 which fully confirmed the previous impression, that it 

 would be hardly possible to show a finer pack of 

 hounds, take them for all in all, than the Fitzwilliam. 

 Amongst a field of some 50 or 60 well-mounted men 

 the Master, the Hon. Charles Fitzwilliam, was to be 

 observed, looking fresh and well as if time had used 

 him kindly; there were also present. Lord Esme 

 Gordon, and ^'' Frank Gordon,^'' looking as perfect a 

 horseman as ever, and as fit to show the way across 

 the open as he did in the days when he piloted Miss 

 Percival — now Mrs. Gordon — across the fences of 

 Huntingdonshire, to the admiration of all beholders. 

 Men who hunt with the Fitzwilliam come for business, 

 not show, and some of the finest heavy-weight horses 

 were to be seen at Washingley, equal to carry any 

 weight across the large fields and bold fences which 

 are the characteristics of this fine country. 



Washingley Wood and the covers adjacent to the 



