248 England's oldest hunt. 



hounds did any work, and those that did could hardly own a line at all. 

 The cover was fearfully thick and strong, and only one or two hounds 

 would face it. Several cubs were viewed in all directions, and all quite 

 healthy and well-grown. After about an hour scent became so bad 

 that I brought hounds away and tried to find a cub among the gorse 

 on the common, but it was to no use. I then tried the drain by Mr. 

 Strickland's house, but our terriers would not go in, so we returned 

 to Dawson Wood, and, getting on a line, ran a few yards, when Thatcher 

 hallooed a cub away towards Bishop's Hagg Wood. Hounds went to 

 his halloo, and he got them away, and I brought on as many puppies 

 and stragglers as I could. They ran quite nicely considering the 

 scent, and in the Sinnington end of Bishop's Hagg, the cub being 

 viewed two or three times in front of them. At last he came out, and 

 being headed back, through the wood, through the young covert into 

 the Appleton village end, where there is a larch wood. Here " Fair- 

 play " was the only one that spoke to it. Long grass and briars being 

 so thick, and as dry as touchwood. Then the cub evidently lay down, 

 and about three couples of hounds got on to an old fox's line and ran 

 across to the Sinnington Woods. I followed them, but the hounds that 

 were with me not appearing to be able to get on at all, I brought them 

 back, and they got on the line of the hunted fox, and spoke to him in 

 the larch wood at Bishop's Hagg. I got off my horse and walked with 

 them through the larch wood, but they could not speak to any line. 

 After casting slowly round the wood, I brought them out and began 

 to draw the young cover. I had hardly begun when Thatcher hallooed 

 at the Common side of the large wood in Bishop's Hagg, and on getting 

 hounds there they ran close at him, through Skipster Hagg young cover 

 in Dawson Wood, through $he wood, and to ground in a drain by Mr. 

 Strickland's house, from which we bolted and killed him. Home 

 about ten o'clock. Hounds very slack. 



On September 18 couples of hounds were at Wrelton 

 Wood, and several cubs were found, one of which was event- 

 ually marked to ground in the wood. The entry continues : — 



Thatcher and I were not sure whether he could be got out, and so 

 left him and went on into Cass Hagg, with no result. We were going 

 home, and had just left the wood with about 12 couples (out of 15£) 

 when a man told us that some of our hounds had killed a fox by a farm 

 close by. On getting there we found this to be the case, and broke 

 the fox up. We were again going home when we heard halloos, and 

 on returning to Wrelton Wood, found that Mr. Atkinson had got our 

 first fox out, upon which we broke him up too, and came home. Hopeful 

 killed the first fox by herself. Honesty and Tempest distinguished 

 themselves. 



September 20. — Capital scent. Hounds met at Stabler's Wood, 

 from whence they ran a fox to Cropton Banks, then crossed the beck 



