REMINISCENCES 105 



hounds were rescued from their precarious position. 

 It wa>s an exciting adventure, and one which, thank 

 goodness, does not often happen. 



It was a coincidence that another fell pack, the 

 Eskdale and Ennerdale, should have got some of 

 their hounds crag-fast on Scawfell during the same 

 week. Charmer, one of the best hounds in the 

 pack, was found lying dead at the foot of the 

 crags, and another hound, Melody, was badl}^ 

 injured. Ropes were secured at Wastdale Head, 

 and J. Gaspard, a French guide, with two others, 

 roped themselves together, and went 180 feet 

 down the crag face. They rescued the remaining 

 hounds, despite a continuous downpour of rain 

 and severe cold. 



Occasionally a fox ends his life in one of the 

 many lakes scattered about the fell country. On 

 New Year's day, 1912, the MeUbrake Hounds got 

 on to a fox which had stolen away near Foulsyke. 

 They had a screaming hunt, towards the end of 

 which hounds raced through the shrubbery at 

 Loweswater Hall, and forward across the Lam- 

 plugh road to the lake. At the edge of the water 

 one of the hounds " clicked " the fox, but could 

 not hold him, Reynard plunged in, but sank when 

 a few yards out from shore. 



On one occasion the Blencathra Hounds ran a 



fox from Wanthwaite Crag to Grasmere village, 



where he " benked " on the window-sill of a 



H a 



