122 BILSDALE AND SINNINGTON. 



fastidious about a hound being straight, but a 

 good nose and plenty of cry are indispensable. 

 They have had a few drafts from the Bedale, 

 Sinnington, Cleveland and Hurworth, but they 

 prefer their own blood, affirming that it suits the 

 country best, and they will go a long way to get a 

 hound which they have reason to believe is 

 descended from the Duke of Buckingham's pack. 

 A big hound is not much use in Bilsdale and soon 

 knocks himself up, but with their limited resources 

 they cannot afford to be particular, and their 2:)ack 

 is consequently rather uneven. 



Bobby tells of a good run they had in January, 

 1835. They found in Jay Nest, a covert not far 

 from Chop Gate, and ran the length of the dale, 

 over Harriet Air into Duncombe Park, and to 

 Helmsley town end. The fox then retraced his 

 steps, and ran nearly back to Jay Nest ; then ran 

 back to Duncombe Park and Helmsley, and again 

 turning back, re-entered the dale, and crossing 

 Bridestone Bidge went to ground in Hill House 

 Wood* in a rabbit hole. It was after dark, and 

 not a single horseman had been with the hounds 

 for long, but a few inhabitants of the dale had 

 heard them running, and eventually found them 

 at the mouth of the earth. The night had turned 

 frosty, and some of the hounds were so stiff with 

 cold and the hard day they had had, that they 

 had to be carried home. The distance could not 

 '■'■'- Near Chop Gate. 



