CHAPTER IV. 



THE WILKINSON DIARIES: SHOWING 

 OLD-TIME SPORT AND HUNTING EXPENSES. 



ET us now continue the extracts from the 

 diaries kept by the Wilkinsons. They are 

 instructive and deeply interesting from a 

 comparative point of view to-day, both as 

 regards the expense of keeping and hunting a 

 pack of hounds and also the wonderful points 

 hounds made and the length of time they ran. 

 In those days, there is no question, foxes knew much more 

 country than they do to-day, when a conglomeration of 

 circumstances have combined to keep them pretty much within 

 certain well-defined areas and to limit their knowledge thereto. 

 The diaries themselves speak much more eloquently of this 

 evolution than I can do. The volume for 1800 begins with : 



EARTH-STOPPING ACCOUNTS. 

 \ Paid for earth-stopping : 



Oct. 24th to April 30th, 1800 

 Sept. 30th, 1800, to 1801 

 Sept. 22nd, 1801, to April, 1802 

 Oct. 8th, 1802, to March, 1803 

 Sept. 24th, 1803, to April, 1804 

 Oct. 3rd, 1804, to March, 1805 

 Oct. 15th, 1805, to April, 1806 

 Sept. 26th, 1806, to March, 1807 

 Sept. 22nd, 1807, to May 



* Initial letter Mr. H. Straker, Master of Zetland Hunt 



