I rode with HCIB and DeLa Brooke hounds last Saturday at John McFadden's beautiful fixture in St.Mary's County. As we rounded this corner on the beach, John turned and pointed out to an island just visible in the Potomac. He said St. Clement's Island was the first "camp" of settlers here in Maryland, where the Ark and the Dove actually docked on March 25th, 1634, that first trip up the Potomac. I love these tidbits of history, especially when we are replicating a scene from a sport that has actually spanned the three hundred and eighty years. Settlers on horseback with hounds have probably been rounding that stretch of beach for that long! It was a warm ( actually too warm for hunting) beautiful day that was a very welcome respite from the unending cold this year. We ran a little but it was primarily so nice to get out on lovely, sandy footing and enjoy the day. It is always fun to trot down the beach, in the water and gallop on long fields in Dela Brooke's country. The muddy fields have canceled so many hunts at Marlborough that I think the majority of my hunting this year as been away!
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