52 England's oldest hunt. 



were hunting hare as well as fox it was no uncommon thing 

 to send on one or two unfortunate " pussies " to the Fox 

 to be made into hare pie, ready for the hungry hunters 

 on their return from their sport. This custom was common, 

 too, with the Farndale Hunt, and many a hare supper has 

 been enjoyed at the Plain Hotel — like the Fox and Hounds 

 at Orra, now no more — in Fryup. My father referred to 

 the old inn at Orra in some verses he wrote on the dale : — 



In ye good old days, in ye days lang syne, 



Tally ho ! Tally ho ! yoicks forrard, 



When a gleam and a glimmer from turves piled high, 



When the blue smoke curled in the evening sky 



From yon chimney stack, lang syne ; 



Ye Fox and Hounds, in ye good old day3, 



Tally ho ! Tally ho ! yoicks forrard, 



Brewed ye best brown ale and ye rafters rang, 



As some hunting song was loudly sung, 



Round ye punch bowl sweetly reeking, 



And ye lads and lasses in ye good old days, 



Tally ho ! Tally ho ! yoicks forrard, 



Did foot it here to some old-time reel, 



And in and out did Cupid steal, 



Just the same in ye good old days. 



But the night wind sighs through yon paneless sash, 



Ev'ry sound of mirth has vanished, 



'Tis the home of the bat and the cry of the owl 



Is heard by night as if some soul 



Still haunted ye old, old sign. 



To revert after this tangent. Throughout a long stretch 

 of years, the Tate and Leng families were identified 

 with the history of the pack, and held official positions in 

 its inner workings. After some seasons, George Bell, Junr., 

 was appointed huntsman, for the sporting twain, Leng 

 having previously acted in this capacity. George was only 

 15 at this period, but was even then well entered to hounds, 

 and had an hereditary knowledge of the science of the 

 chase, so essential to every man who hopes to hunt a pack 

 successfully. They seem to have been wonderfully keen 

 fellows to hounds, with a Bilsdale love of the sport, and to 

 employ the place-name as an adjective in this sense means 

 a great deal. There are many stories told of them, but that 



