118 ENGLAND'S OLDEST HUNT. 



farmer who saw his plight went for ropes and spades, but by 

 pulling and shouting, the exasperated sportsman got his 

 horse to make an effort, and with a plunge it came out at 

 the right side. On he got, and away after hounds towards 

 Hutton Rudby. Near Church Wood they had a check, but 

 by "ticeing" and whipping he got them on to the line again 

 and they ran down to the little field just near the old road 

 at the top of Rudby village. A number of foot-people had 

 heard hounds and seen the fox, and on its entering the field 

 mentioned they surrounded it and kept the fox in. There 

 he sat looking first at one side, then another. On came Mr. 

 Scarth, who expected hounds would kill their quarry at once 

 here. But no sooner did the little pack enter the field than 

 away he went. By this time, Nicholas and one or two 

 others had " git ten gethered up" and now commenced a 

 point-to-point race. They are small enclosures here, and 

 the Carlton yeoman was mounted on a horse which could 

 jump well, so had somewhat an advantage of the Bilsdale 

 fellows. To end the story, which by the way was told by 

 Mr. Scarth to Miss H. Morrison and myself as we returned 

 from hunting with the Hurworth Hounds, on Nov. 14th. 

 this season, as this book was going to press, the fox was 

 killed, and Mr. Scarth secured the brush. 



Now, as already stated, the finances of the hunt were 

 low, and there was no spare cash for such luxuries as new 

 uniforms. Mr. Thomas Parrington tells us a good story, 

 illustrating this : — 



" A few years ago Nicholas Spink (the Master and huntsman) and 

 ' Bobbie ' Dawson had one good red coat between them, and one 

 purplish and blackish red one. I understand the red coat to have 

 originally been presented to Robert. The agreement between them was 

 that ' they should tak ton an' ton aboot ' with the coats. It was, 

 nothing to them that Nicholas was a canny size, an' Robert nobbut a 

 little yan. So Nicholas came out the first day in the good coat and 

 Robert in the old one. The second day Robert came out in the good 

 one, but Nicholas could not bide the idea of Robert being in the good 

 red coat whilst he was in the purple sack, and he came out in his work- 

 a-day things, and so through the season Nicholas wore one day a good 

 coat and the next rode in plain clothes, and kept his bargain with 

 Robert." 



