66 England's oldest hunt. 



" a drag," and do not consider it a bad day if they " can 

 nobbut git a good drag." Then, too, Bell used to point 

 out that everything at this time of the morning was fresh, 

 and scent was often much better than ever it became again 

 during the day till nightfall. Hounds flew about " kittle," 

 i.e., in a lively manner, displaying keenness and interest in 

 their work, which George affirmed was always a good sign. 

 The greatest week in Bell's long hunting career was when 

 he was sent for by the Swainby sportsmen to hunt Arncliffe 

 and Raindriff Wood. He stayed at Swainby a week and 

 killed four foxes in five days. To many unacquainted with 

 the hills this will sound no extraordinary occurrence, but 

 when it is borne in mind the size of the coverts, the difficulty 

 experienced in getting a fox away, and the hundred and one 

 earths into which he could creep on finding himself pressed 

 by hounds, then can we applaud, as did old George, the 

 record he established. He died at ten o'clock on the evening 

 of August 15, 1901, aged 80. 



