254 England's oldest hunt. 



there was a check (as a dog had run him), but he was seen by some- 

 men, who hallooed about 50 yards down the road, and hounds got on 

 his line again, and ran up over the hill again, and then down a line, 

 and across the Hartoft Road and down into Spire's Bank Gill. They 

 hunted on, and as they came up to the Cropton and Rosedale Road 

 by Hartoft Bridge, we saw him going up the road only 100 yards in 

 front of hounds, then he turned down into Black Parks, and then ran 

 into him at the end of the covert below Middle Aiskew. Time two 

 hours from Mr. Strickland's house. Point about seven miles. Hounds 

 kept running on all the time. Up to see him killed : Mrs. Sherbrooke, 

 Miss Musters, Mr. George Musters, Mr. Lesley, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Williams, 

 (staying with the Rev. H. Ketchley, at Barton-le-Street), Mr. Marton 

 (Kirby Misperton), Mr. Little, self, Thatcher, and Harry, 16£ out of 

 18| out, only one hound short when we got home. 



The season ended on April 8th. Hounds were out on 56 days, 

 had five blank days, were stopped one month by frost, killed altogether 

 nine brace of foxes, and marked 7| brace to ground. 



Season 1897-8. 

 During the first portion of this season there were some excellent 

 gallops, and one in particular occurred from Wrelton on February 24, 

 1898, and is thus recorded : — ** Went down straight to Normanby 

 Whin ; found, and went away by the right of Little Barugh Village to 

 within a couple of fields of Habton Whin ; then bore to the left and 

 over Kirby Misperton Road ; up the hill and down to the Costa ; 

 crossed it about half-way between Kirby Misperton Wath and Scott's 

 Whin Wath. Some went to one and some to the other to get out. 

 When I caught up, the hounds they had crossed the railway near 

 Marishes Road Station, and were crossing the road to Thornton Dale 

 from that station. They ran on slowly over the Thornton Beck, and 

 over the Scarborough Railway and Road, and up the hill between 

 Thornton and Allerston. At the top of the hill scent failed, and we had 

 two long checks, but, eventually, went on, and down over the Thornton 

 Beck, again to Ellerburn Mill, up the opposite hill on to Kingthorpe 

 Low Farm, where we had another long check, and this did us, although 

 we got on the line again. They only ran for two fields up to the Picker- 

 ing Road, and lost him there. One hour and twenty minutes to the 

 last check. An eight mile point." During the season hounds were 

 out 58 days, were only stopped one time by frost and snow, killed 

 five-and-a-half brace, and marked six-and-a-half to ground. 



Season 1898-99. 

 Owing to the great heat in September, cubbing was not commenced 

 till the 24th of that month. On October 4th, Mr. Sherbrooke records 

 in glowing terms a cub-hunt they had from Helmsley with twenty 

 couples of hounds. Meeting at 6-30 a.m., they waited till 9 o'clock 

 for the fog to clear. 



