CAPT. Johnstone's hounds and country. 223 



thoroughly satisfied with his day he is bad indeed 

 to please. 



As is the case with most of the Yorkshire 

 packs, the early history of Capt. Johnstone's 

 hounds is enveloped in obscurity. A few hounds 

 were kept by farmers and others and they met 

 occasionally for a day's hunting, but there seems 

 to have been no record kept of them, and nothing 

 is known of their doings before a triumvirate, 

 consisting of the late Mr. John Darrell, father of 

 Messrs. Darrell of West Ayton ; Mr. Hopper, 

 of Wykeham Grange, and Mr. Coverdale, of 

 Sawdon, were placed at the head of affairs. The 

 pack was trencher-fed, but matters were now con- 

 ducted in a more regular manner than had hitherto 

 been the case. Still there seems to have been no 

 record kept of the sport they showed, and we 

 have been unable to come across a single specimen 

 of that useful — nay necessary — work, a hunts- 

 man's diary. So far as we can make out there 

 was no regular huntsman at this time, the three 

 gentlemen who were at the head of affairs acting 

 in that capacity in turns. 



A good story is told of Mr. Hopper of Wyke- 

 ham Grange. He was roused one fine night by 

 a noise in the poultry-yard, and discovered that a 

 fox was ' prowling around ' after his geese. To 

 put on a few clothes and a pair of shoes was only 

 the work of a moment, and away went Mr. 

 Hopper to unkennel the two or three couple of 



