REMINISCENCES 103 



Nothing stops a really keen fell hunter from 

 enjoying the sport he loves best. I know at 

 least two men with wooden legs who regularly 

 follow hounds, and would shame many a sound 

 person when it comes to travelling on the 

 hiUs. 



There is a story concerning two hunters who 

 used to follow hounds above Dockray. I believe 

 one of them was a relation of Joe Bowman, the 

 well-known huntsman of the UUswater. Anyway, 

 this ancestor of Joe's was deaf and dumb, while his 

 friend and hunting partner was blind. 



The latter' s stock saying to his mate, when 

 hounds were out, was, " Thou mun lissen, an' I'U 

 leak (look)." 



That big foxes are not altogether confined to 

 the fell country is attested to in Frank Gillard's 

 " Reminiscences." Gillard mentions a big, mangy 

 dog-fox which the Belvoir Hounds killed at 

 Aswarby. Had this fox been in good condition 

 he would have weighed over eighteen pounds ; as it 

 was he turned the scale at seventeen and a half 

 pounds. 



Apropos of the famous " Dun Bull " inn, in 

 Mardale, mentioned in a previous chapter in 

 connection with the shepherds' " Victory Meet," 

 is the following yarn. 



The UUswater had a good hunt in Longslcddale, 

 eventually running their fox to ground in ]\lardale. 



