The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-04 00:00:00

THE MELTON HUNT.
A soaker now and then is a most enjoyable thing—tha
is to say, the warm bath and complete change after are
more thoroughly appiociatod after a good drencher, but
when such soakings are the rule rather than the exception
it becomes a matter for consideration as to whether they
are really enjoyable or not. 'Tis true, thanks to the in-
ventive ago in which we live, it is possible to bo enveloped
in complete suits of waterproof clothing, but it is no joke
to ride through a run thus mulled, and in the end to find
one's coat as wet inside, from confined perspiration, as out-
side from the wet. Nevertheless, it is no more nor less
than hunting have had to put up with, and an overcoat
strapped to the saddle has been as much a cede mecum as
the saddle itself. Scent, that puzzle to philosophers, has
also been most precarious, and consequently good runs
have as yet got to come. We are now getting comfortably
full, and things aro as they should be, when such well-
known faces as Earl Wilton, W. L. Gilmour, Esq., Hon. F.
Oalthorpe, and Major Paynter aro to be seen at the covert
side. The neighbourhood also is filling up. Captains
Fenwick and Boyce have put in appearance at Barkby
Hall, and the gathering of scarlet every morning at the
meet is quite up to the average.
Friday saw the Quern at Great Dalby, with a very fair
field, and after finding a fox at Gartree Hill, with which,
however, they did very little good, they went on to Thorpe
Trussells, and after racking about in the covert with no
result, a fox was found in the little bit of gorse outside,
and he went away well, with hounds nicely laid on, but
alas ! a drain on Fisher's farm, about half a mile off, put
an end to what seemed likely to be a good thing. There
was much conversation on the coincidence of there being
no fox in this far-famed covert the last twice it has been
drawn—on both occasions a fox being found outside—and
sundry whisperings were heard of a certain fresh tenant
farmer, who is likely to bring discredit upon a community
who have earned for themselves the reputation of being
the best fox preservers on that side the Quorn country.
It is to be hoped that a check in time may be put upon any
attempt to do away with the widely spread fame of this
little covert, and as the whole affair may arise from some
stupid misunderstanding between parties, we would simply
say, talk things over quietly, and see if peace cannot be
maintained and the foxes left at rest. Leaving their fox
in the drain for another day, they went on to Ashby Pas-
ture and found again, running back by the Trussells,
across Mr. Paget's farm, and leaving Thorpe village to the
right, crossed the road near T wyford Windmill, after
which they kept on as if for Burrough, but he doubled
back, and they lost him near Adams's gorse. This last
run took place in a soaking rain, and many were wet to
the skin before reaching home.
Saturday, the Duke'tfcame to Piper's Hole, the country
not at all improved by the heavy rain of yesterday. The
Old Hills was the first draw, and gave them a fox, who
went away well, and ran sharp round in a ring to Scalford
Plantations, after which scent failed, and though they
dragged on to Melton spinnies no more good was done
with him. At the spinnies there were, as a friend said,
"heaps of foxes," and after flogging one up who, with the
craft of his kind, had crept out of the covert and laid down
in a ditch close by, leaving those inside to stand the frizzle,
they got away on the east side, and had a nice sticky piece
of galloping across Scorer's farm and the Grantham turn-
pike up for Brentingby spinnies, but it did not result in a
good thing, and although they afterwards went to Scalford
Bogs, I did not hear that they had any more sport.
Monday gave Melton men an opportunity of dividing
their favours, as the Quern were at Wartnaby Stone Pits
and the Duke's at Stonesby. As they had been with the
Duke's at Hose Grange, the Quorn had the preference, and
by far the largest field of pinks assembled to meet the Mar-
quis, who, notwithstanding the long stretch from Castle
Donington, drove up near the appointed time. The morn-
ing was fine, but a cutting frosty air did not forbodo
much scent, and so it proved in the first part of the
day. We went back to the Old Dalby Wood for our
first fox, but drew it blank, nor did Saxilby spinnies
improve upon it, so on wo went to the old
quarters—Grimstone Gorse—always a safe find, not-
withstanding the moderate slaughter there has been
amongst its occupants this season. 'We had not long to
wait for a view hollo, as " Charley" crossed the ride, and
he soon wont away on the top side, and dropped over the
road into Dalby Wood, but they drove him through, and
away on the Wartnaby side, along the hills, towards which
he ran with hounds only able to pick up the scent at in-
tervals, with the exception of " hark back," which took us
nearly to the wood again. We kept straight on the top,
past Wartnaby, and Holwell Mouth, the huntsman evi-
dently thinking the fox had gone on for Clawson Thorns,
but he failed to hit off the line, and then put into Holwell
Mouth with no result ; so we then passed on through
Kettleby, and after trying the spinnies near there worked'
round to Welby Osier Holt without any signs of a fox
and looked like being a middling day, but before going
back to Grimstone Gorse they dropped the hounds into a
small coppice, known as Cant's Thorn's, when up bolted a
fox, and the real business of the day began. Away he
went down for the turnpike, crossing it, and going in the
direction of the Old Hills, but reachingwhich he turned up
to the right, and ran merrily across by Hind's Lodge, and
on in a line pointing for Melton—leaving Sysonby Lodge
to the right. We soon got on the ploughed land, and
scent was not quite so good, but in they went, and
crossed the Scalford-road, not a great way above
Lord Bradford's lodge, bearing down for the Scalford
Brook, which they went over, near an opportune ford place
or the field must have been thinned, as the brook was quite
full, and by no means an enticing object', except to a few
of the hard riding division who were in the van, and
amongst whom was Lord BOyStOlg, whose horse came to
grief, and gave both of them a cool bath, and no mistake.
It did not, however, cool his lordship's ardour, for ho
mounted again and went through to the end of the run,
drenched as he was. But to return, hounds held on as far
as Thorpe tollgate, and were getting a long way from
home, when reynard doubled and came round pretty much
over the same line again, except that he bore more to the
left, and passed close to Mr. Gaskell's house, and was viewed
as he crept across the turnpike on to Selby's farm. He
was here reported to be quite beaten, but they carried on
across the turnpike at Potter-hill, pointing for the Old
Hills, but only for a short distance, as he took another turn,
and they traced him back to Cant's Thorns, where they
left him, after a very fair burst, the first part of which was
all that could be desired as to pace and quality of country
and amongst those who rode to the fore were Captains
Clowes and Fenwick, E. Cheney, Sir G. Wombell, and
Lord Royston.
On the same day the Duke's hounds came down from
Stonesby to Burbidge's covert, which was full of foxes, and
the old one soon broke away with a cub close after him, for
Brentingby. After passing which, ho went for Stapleford
Park, but he did not reach it, and leaving it to the
left, he went towards Whissendine. Hero the foxes parted
company, but the hounds stuck to the " young 'un," which
turned to the right for the Oakham turnpike, and ran under
Burton village back to the covert. Time up to this point
forty minutes, across as stiff a lino for fences as could be
selected. The hounds ran their fox in a covert
ashoreand
time, and by accident chopped a fox, but Cooper was
to his not being the run fox, so he went which it
ho did
id by
and soon made him face the open again,
the side of the river, and went over the railwayibrhidegset, and
on for Brentingby Spinnies, but was complete y
was killed near to Brentingby village, after averypegaoroodd
hour and ten minutes. The Duke was out,
and
The a phounds
to thoroughly enjoy this really good tshing.
went to Newman's Gorse for a second fox and found, and
ran to ground near Waltham.
Mr. Burbidge, of Thorpe, who was out
riwsietdh
ttulaehDeaurkteh'se,
left for home after the kill,
Thaonrdpe
h the remainder
and ushefd in
Quorn running down forthe
and joined them, and went thro.uhgtwee picks
i
fox-hunting
°day, a
run with them, thus hunting wit
feat not often accomplished even in this
hunting
country.
The country is still awfully heavyfor horses.—Leicester
, and wo want a few
fine days to make it easier going
Joursa.