ROYAL ROCK BEAGLE HUNT. 



CHAPTER IX. 



NOTABLE RUNS. 



" A right description of our sport, my lord." 



Lo-'te's Laboiir'i Lost, act v, scene 2. 



" O, for a horse with wings ! " 



Cyiiibcline, act iu, scene 2. 



In the following pages will be found a selection from the records of 

 some of the good runs enjoyed by the R.R.B. during the first few years 

 of their existence. They were mostly written by Henry Walford, but were 

 evidently inspired by Alfred Walford, who was a famous sportsman and 

 runner. These accounts are intensely interesting to us modern beaglers, as 

 serving to remind us of our own sport over the same country. The names 

 of places and topographical allusions are familiar to us, and we can readily 

 trace out the line of the runs described. 



Friday, ist January, 1847. 



Thingwall Mill, 11-30 a.m. The dogs found beautifully in about a quarter 

 of an hour, to the west of the mill, changed hares in the second field, went 

 away for Irby cover, through the cover with bewitching music right across to 

 Pensby cover, and through it also, then in the direction of Irby cover again ; 

 doubled to the left ; after very beautiful hunting took her to the back of Mr. 

 Broster's (Irby Hall) — here a splendid burst right across the road in the direc- 

 tion of Frankby ; doubled to the left over Irby Common, then over two fields 

 on to Thurstaston Common, near to Caldy, where we lost, after a run of one 

 hour and three-quarters. Found immediately to the north of Irby, took straight 

 for Arrow Hall, doubled to the right in a fallow of Mr. Neilson's, went across 

 the road into the Irby cover, took her through the corner of it straight on end 

 for Pensby, and after very pretty hunting lost in a fallow where the scent was 

 very cold ; run one hour and a quarter. The dogs put up a hare beautifully in 

 a field close to Mr. Hancocks' ; went at a terrible pace for Irby cover, 

 took her through it with glorious music, then to Pensby cover, right through 

 it at full cry on to Mr. Urmson's, through the garden, along the road, 

 and almost up to Thingwall Mill ; doubled to the left for Irby cover, through it 

 again, then straight away in the direction of Barnston ; a fresh hare got up 

 right amongst the dogs in a stubble, called them off after running over one field, 

 got them on the old scent, right away to Barnston. When close to Barnston 

 Dale she turned a little to the right, in the direction of the common, and were 

 obliged to whip off at 4-30 p.m., as it was quite dark, after a run of one hour 

 and three-quarters. Thus ended what was reckoned, by Messrs. A. Walford 

 and King, to be the hardest day the R.R.B.'s had ever had, the sport during 

 the whole of it of first-rate order. Four members out ; 16.J couples. 



