WITH THE SUEREY STAGHOUNDS. 



Chance having directed my steps towards Epsom^ 

 and finding that the Surrey Staghounds were to meet 

 at the Spring at Ewell, I determined to have a look 

 at a pack of hounds of which I had often heard good 

 reports, but had never before had an opportunity of 

 seeing and judging of their merits for myself. Having 

 hastily improvised a mount, I trotted off on a brilliant 

 spring morning, and made my way to the meet. On 

 my arrival I foand a considerable number of sports- 

 men and two or three ladies assembled in front of 

 that well-remembered hostelrie ; but the bulk of the 

 regular performers, I found, were enjoying the hospi- 

 tality of one of the residents in Ewell, who gave a 

 breakfast on this occasion to those who are in the 

 habit of riding with the '^ Surrey,'^ and in consequence 

 of this pleasant entertainment a short delay occurred in 

 the proceedings of the day, and it was not until some 

 half an hour or so beyond the appointed time that the 

 bulk of the large " field '' put in an appearance. 



During the period of ^^ waiting for the verdict '^ of 

 the Master as to where the deer was to be turned out I 

 called to mind an occasion when, returning quietly 

 from the races, I became entangled in the customary 

 block of vehicles which has occurred on every Derby 

 Day within the memory of man at the Spring at Ewell. 

 Some rough customers in a tax-cart having threatened 



