MR. H. W. SELBY LOWNDES AS M.F.H. 129 



the services of Boyes as whip, and they bought muzzles* 

 for the whole pack, took them out on to the moors, walked 

 them for hours amongst sheep, and every hound which made 

 a point at one sealed its own death warrant, and was shot 

 on reaching the kennels, or drafted. In one week, fifteen 

 couples were so dealt with or sold. Much trouble, expense and 

 worry did all this occasion. However, Mr. Lowndes set 

 himself to work to build up another pack, as already stated, 

 and despite all the difficulties with which he had to contend, 

 he killed more foxes during his first season than had ever 

 been known before in the country, and showed excellent 

 sport. Of course, it must be admitted that in most parts 

 foxes had been better preserved for him now that he had 

 given the pack a greater status than it had ever had before, 

 and showed he could kill his foxes. 



At the outset, however, his pack would not kill a fox, 

 they would run up to it and then stop. Boyes suggested 

 there were only two courses open — either to throw a cat in 

 among them or " badly use " one fox. One day, a man 

 from Stockton told Mr. Lowndes he had a clean, strong fox 

 he would sell. It was brought in a box, hounds met near 

 Carlton, and as a villager had complained of "a fox doing 

 considerable damage to his poultry, the imported animal 

 was secured in a bag, which Mrs. Lowndes fastened in her 

 coat, and took to the spot where the marauding animal was 

 supposed to lie. Here she turned her burden down and 

 holloaed. In a few seconds hounds came up, and the quarry 

 not knowing the country was soon run into. The pack were 

 still muzzled on account of "sheeping," and they killed their 

 fox though thus handicapped. The muzzles were then re- 

 moved, and they were quickly blooded. The funny part of the 

 matter was that the farmer said some time after, " You've 

 killed my poor fox, I never lose any poultry now," which 



*Last season (1906-7) Mr. S. Conyers Scrope experienced the same 

 difficulty with his now extinct pack, and had his hounds ringed through 

 the nose. This did not, however, prevent them from running mutton, 

 and it seems as though hounds which have once been blooded to sheep 

 are never to be trusted again. 



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