HUNTING DAYS 



the end. I had just turned for home when I 

 heard a holla away on the far side, so I started off 

 with them and they ran hard and straight to, I 

 think it was, Elkington. Anyhow, it was getting 

 dusk when I pulled up at Cold Ashby. I rode such 

 a good young horse, and sold him to Major 

 Macdonald Buchanan. Sanders covert was a certain 

 find in those days, and I remember three good 

 hunts from there to Scotland Wood. 



I once enjoyed a hunt very much from Hardwick 

 Wood. They came away over the road and ran 

 down towards the Red House, Hannington. I 

 got the best of the start, but I came to a gate that 

 I could not open. The field came tearing down, 

 and I remember Lord Spencer said : " If you 

 can't open it, let me come." Of course, I ought 

 to have got off and opened it for him, but I had 

 caught sight of the fence on the right as I came 

 down to the gate, and so I just jumped the fence 

 and went on alone with hounds. 



They caught me up at Gibb Wood, and I 

 remember Lord Spencer taking off his hat as he 

 galloped by and said : " Thank you very much." 

 Captain Bay Middleton was just behind him. 

 He was very red in the face and shouted at me. I 

 remember Lady Frederick was dining at his house 

 that night, and she told me what Captain Middleton 

 said, and how he had given me a bit of his mind. 

 He was a fine rider, but he broke his neck riding 

 in a point-to-point. 



47 



