THE HAMBLETON HOUNDS. 77 



South Woods to Boltby Scar. Relentlessly pressed, the fox ascended 

 the moor again, crossed the valley of Gadd, towards Deep Gill (his 

 starting point), then found shelter for a time in Ashbury Woods. On 

 a successful cast in the valley he was hit off again down the valley, 

 across the Rye, into Bilsdale. Then, as it was getting dark, hounds 

 were whipped off, after a run of nearly four hours. 



The same journal, under the heading of " The Hambleton 

 Fox Hounds," thus announced the commencement of opera- 

 tions in their issue of October 25, 1856 : — 



These hounds have commenced hunting this season with every 

 prospect of a good supply of foxes, and through the kindness of the 

 master and members of the Hurworth Hunt, who have given permission 

 to hunt the Cotcliffe and Landmoth covers, they have obtained a great 

 acquisition to their district. The members of the hunt had their 

 annual meeting on Monday last, the 20th inst., at the Three Tuns 

 Hotel, Thirsk, Chas. Harrison, Esq., in the chair. Subscriptions were 

 entered into and resolutions passed tending to the increased improve- 

 ment of this old-established (sic) hunt. 



The "York Herald," 29th November, 1856, contained 

 the following : — 



A Run with the Hambleton (Mr. Bell's) Foxhounds. 



The meet on Saturday last, November 22, was at Otterington 

 House, the seat of Captain Dodsworth, who had very kindly provided 

 a most excellent breakfast for the hunters. At the commencement 

 of the season, T. Hutton, Esq., of Sober Hill, had courteously given us 

 permission to hunt his covers, and this being the first time we had 

 availed ourselves of his kindness, the meet was, as might be expected, 

 much larger than usual. The adjoining willow garths were tried but 

 found blank, so we trotted on to the large plantation, through which the 

 North-Eastern passes, between the stations of Otterington and North- 

 allerton. No sooner were hounds thrown in than a fox of the right 

 sort broke away from the south end, and with right good- will we 

 followed on his traces. To the left he turned up to the Northallerton 

 Road, then to the right for Martin Folly, and leaving Pasture House 

 on the east, skirted Purgatory Whin, and held his own along the 

 Northallerton Ings. Dashing across the stream, he turned for Boirowby 

 village, and crossed the Thirsk and Stockton road in the direction of 

 the moorlands. So far we had run 45 minutes without a check. After 

 crossing Borrowby Beck, a little to the north of Mr. Moore's Mill, he 

 set his head straight for Upsal Whin harbouring, no doubt, an intention 

 of there finding some covert, but hounds were too close upon his track, 

 and he was driven through without a moment's delay ; thence through 

 Captain Turton's Plantation on to Wool Moor, where he was viewed 



