EVOLUTION OF THE PACK. 115 



and had a somewhat fine type of face, reminding one of the 

 old pictures of the squirearchy ; it was essentially a sporting 

 face. He assisted all the respective Masters of the Hunt 

 from time to time as whip, from the era that Squire Barr 

 had them and up to his death, which occurred on June 28, 

 1901. At the time of his demise, I wrote the following to a 

 sporting journal : — 



Poor old Dick Spink has joined the great majority, aged 82, severing 

 an interesting link with the past. He lived at Orra till within a few 

 weeks of his death. Years ago he had a farm there, on which were 

 born to his dame fourteen children, first a boy and then a girl in rotation. 

 His forbears had lived at Orra for generations. His brother Nicholas 

 was huntsman for twelve years. Spink told me of a very fast run they 

 had once from Bilsdale to Rosedale. At Rudscar, in Rosedale, the fox 

 went into a jet hole, being dead beat. The followers thought it was 

 dead, and Metcalfe being the first up jumped off his horse and got 

 into the hole, seized Renny, and off with his brush. It proved, however 

 to be very much alive, and Spink never saw a fox go faster than that 

 one did down the hill. Hounds proved their superiority, however, and 

 though they had a long run — a nine or ten mile point — they ran their 

 fox back over part of the same line, and killed at the White Mare, of 

 Whitestoncliffe, above Sutton, on the Hambleton Hills. It must have 

 been a remarkable day, and a truly remarkable fox, for there is proof 

 positive they never changed, the fox killed being minus his brush. 

 Dick gave some very good advice, which might well be taken by all 

 patrons of the hound and the horn : " Deean't jump until y'are foorced 

 ti, ya deean't knaw what y'are hoss ez got ti deea afoor neet." Speaking 

 of the Hunt, to which his life was devoted, he said : " We had a good 

 character, and went to Thirsk and all over." He did not recognise 

 that it was the amusement that the quaint manner and ready wit of 

 Bobbie, himself and Bell caused, and their superior knowledge of the 

 sport, that made them in such request as well as the sporting character 

 of the pack. 



For three years Nicholas Spink assisted Squire Barr 

 to hunt the Bilsdale country, and when the latter resigned, 

 Nicholas was prevailed upon to continue in office. He did 

 so for sixteen years, Bobbie Dawson whipping-in to him 

 during this period. Nicholas was born in Bilsdale and nursed 

 in the very atmosphere of sport. In his youth, Nick and 

 his brother Dick, who also occasionally whipped to the pack, 

 were wont, with the Medd, the Bell, and Dale lads to call up 



