BILSDALE AND SINNINGTON. 125 



illustration of this that some years ago the Cleve- 

 land had had a wonderful run, twenty minutes 

 at a racing pace and had handsomely killed their 

 fox. Only a very small number of the field were 

 on anything like terms with the hounds when 

 they killed, some half dozen or so. We were 

 naturally somewhat proud of the achievement, 

 and were relating the various incidents of the run 

 to Mr. Robert Kitching, the father of the Bilsdale 

 Hunt, and as good a sportsman as ever put on 

 boots and spurs. We were somewhat astonished 

 when he treated it with contempt, and ended 

 his criticism by saying, " Why, you never got 

 off" the place ; your good run was over before 

 it had fairly begun " ; and then after a pause, 

 " it may approach steeplechasing, but it isn't 

 hunting." 



And now, after this digression, for an extract 

 from Bobby Dowson's diary. 



March 18th, 1871. Met at Carlton. Run 

 four hours and twenty minutes, and killed. 



October 8 th, 1875. Met at Cockham Lodge. 

 Three hours and forty-five minutes ; ran him to 

 ground. 



November, 1875. Met at Steeple Cross. Ran 

 one hour and ten minutes, and killed. I never 

 experienced such a storm of wind as took place 

 after this run. The mare and I were blown clean 

 off the place, and Nicholas Spink was blown clean 

 off his horse. Trees were up-rooted, and the 



