170 England's oldest hunt. 



as I can now speak of my own knowledge, a few words 

 regarding some long runs and other extracts from my diary 

 may be of interest. First let me say that Dick Shaw is a 

 miner in Rosedale, and after his day's work has had many a 

 long walk collecting hounds for the following day. He 

 keeps one or two at his place near Church Houses, where he 

 has a little farm. A big man, he can ride the moors with 

 anyone, and though his modus operandi of hunting 

 may be original, still he has shown some good sport, and 

 has got together a pack which is level and fast. 



I should mention that some years ago Mr. J. W. Alexander 

 Junr., who, like his father before him, has always been a mo3t 

 ardent follower of the pack, was instrumental in introducing 

 some new blood into the pack, which has proved of service. 

 When at Edinburgh University he hunted with a pack which 

 the late Mr. R. Routledge had at Gordonberry, in Roxburgh- 

 shire. This Mr. Routledge had married a daughter of a local 

 sportsman, and had a pack very similar in themselves and in 

 status to the Farndale. Mr. iMexander brought home with 

 him a dog and a bitch. This cross was found very beneficial, 

 and some of the finest hounds now are out of this strain, 

 whilst one of them went last season to the Staintondale. 

 Farndale Hounds, two or three seasons ago, had a very fast 

 black bitch " whose note was death." She was known as 

 " t'black bitch," or " t'awd bitch." I do not think I ever 

 heard her name. Blucher, a dog-hound, was another very 

 useful member of the pack. He ran for more than ten seasons, 

 I believe, and died in 1905, having broken his shoulder. 



The following is a summary of a run, from my diary, 

 well worth recording, it took place in November, 1903 : — 



Hounds had met at Trough House, and amongst those present 

 were : — Mr. Fred Hart, of Danby, a keen follower ; Mr. ' Jack ' Alexan- 

 der and Mr. Whitwell, a sporting keeper on Lord Downe's estate. 

 After crossing Fairy Cross Plain, a fox was holloaed away from Stock- 

 ton's Plantation. Making for Danby Head, he ran to Crunkley Gill, 

 crossing the Howe and Buska Beck, he ran as straight as an arrow over 

 Glaisdale to Arncliffe Woods. The day was fast wearing on, but what 

 booted this to hounds ? They worked out the line up Arncliffe with 

 some difficulty, scent being none too good in covert, and ran on to 



