The River Tees. 7 



The Hurworth country may be said to carry a good scent, 

 especially when it rides deep ; in fact, it can usually be taken 

 for granted that when the going is up to the hocks the Hurworth 

 are having great sport, though some other packs cannot run a 

 yard. Perhaps nowhere could a better example of the mysteries 

 of scent be discovered than in this little corner of England. 

 The Hurworth, an inland clay country, the Cleveland bounded 

 by the sea and adjoining the Hurworth. The one pack may be 

 "going strong and well " and the other finding the conditions 

 absolutely inimical to scent. 



The River Tees is often a drawback to sport in the 

 Hurworth country, though not so much nowadays, perhaps, as 

 at an earlier period in the history of the Hunt, when the country 

 around the Tees was so much relied upon for sport. Through- 

 out all time, however, many are the foxes which have had to 

 thank its waters for their liberty. The Tees rises above the 

 wild moors of Milburn Forest, on the borders of Westmoreland, 



Where Tees in tumult leaves his source, 

 Thund'ring o'er Caldron and High Force. 



Continuing its journey eastward through Teesdale, it passes 

 Barnard Castle and Piercebridge (now the headquarters of the 

 Zetland Hunt) to Croft, onwards to Yarm (below which it is 

 joined by the Leven), thence to Stockton. 



With regard to otter-hunting the Tees has a better charac- 

 ter, for an old couplet has it : 



An otter in the Wear you may find but once a year 

 But an otter in the Tees you may find at your ease. 



Speaking of the Tees reminds me of an experience related 

 to me by Mr. Parrington. He says the river rises four feet in 

 a few minutes, and without any intimation. In Mr. Parrington's 

 day, there was always a breed of foxes at Eyreholme Scarr, on 



