CAPT. Johnstone's hounds and country. 225 



jumped a gate side by side ; and on another Mr. 

 Osbaldestone got his leg broken when attempting 

 to cut down the phicky Squire of Thornton. 



On the death of Mr. Richard Hill the country 

 was hunted by his son, Mr. John Hill, who acted 

 as his own huntsman. During his mastership 

 the pack continued to improve greatly, and he 

 was amongst the early victors at the Hound 

 Shows which were inaugurated in connection 

 with the Cleveland Agricultural Society by the 

 energetic Secretary, Mr. Thomas Parrington. 



After carrying on a few years Mr. Hill resigned 

 and sold his hounds, and the country was without 

 a pack. A meeting was held which was numer- 

 ously attended, and an unanimous opinion was 

 expressed that Lord Derwent, then Mr. Harcourt 

 Johnstone, should be requested to get a pack 

 together. On the wishes of the country being 

 made known to him, Mr, Johnstone, who was 

 and is an enthusiastic sportsman, cheerfully re- 

 sponded, and he soon succeeded in getting a pack 

 together which could account creditably for the 

 stout hill foxes with which the country abounds. 

 On the death of his father. Sir J. V. Johnstone, 

 who was killed by a fall from his horse in the 

 hunting-field, he entered parliament ; but continued 

 to remain at the head of affairs until increasinor 

 parliamentary duties prevented him from devoting 

 that time to the hounds which in his opinion was 

 necessary, when he handed over the reins of office 



