Hiirworth Boundaries. 9 



they were crossing the river, a sudden rise took place, and the 

 water began to run in at the top of Mr. Parrington's boots. 

 "You may know this ford all right, Maughan," said Mr. 

 Parrington, " but Pm saying my prayers all the time." " I 

 think we'd be better out," reiterated Maughan, and Mr. 

 Parrington agreed with him. Fortunately they did succeed in 

 reaching the other side. As will be mentioned hereafter, the 

 Wilkinsons used to train their horses during the summer to 

 swim the river. 



There have been many "experiences" in the Tees, all of 

 which add excitement to the sport ; but there is not a bit of 

 doubt that the river does spoil the Hurworth country to a very 

 great extent. So soon as foxes find they are pressed, they seem 

 to instinctively make for the river, and frequently beat hounds. 



The Hurworth country lies in Durham and North Yorks., 

 and has been described as " oblong with a bulge in it." On 

 the North it adjoins the South Durham ; on the West Lord 

 Zetland's ; on the South the Bedale ; and on the East the 

 Cleveland and Bilsdale. When the Duke of Cleveland gave up 

 hunting, the Hurv/orth took the Durham side of the Tees and 

 Mr. Cradock the Yorkshire side of the old Raby territory. For 

 long the Duke of Cleveland hunted pretty much where he liked, 

 and the Cleveland had come as far as they wished to in what is 

 now Hurworth preserves. Generally speaking, there were no 

 boundaries in those early days, as is made evident in the ballad 

 " The Hurworth Fox Chased 



" Account of a wonderful run with Sir Charles Turner's 

 foxhounds, nearly fifty miles, from Hurworth to Kilton." Such 

 was the heading to the following verses, which appeared in the 

 Sporting Magazine, in October, 1827, and which told of a 

 wonderful run in 1775 : 



