FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 119 



moment they dashed up the big wood, and 

 were for a short time lost to view. The horse- 

 men taking the road up the wood past Mount 

 Grace, had the good luck to find the hounds 

 had come to a check near Lady Chapel, but the 

 gallant Master (Sir R. Graham) being on the 

 spot quickly, caught hold of his beautiful little 

 ladies and, making a galloping cast to the left, 

 hit off his fox. 



*' They then ran parallel with the Wood to 

 the top of the Cliff, where they turned full east, 

 racing over the open moor to Scarth Neck, over 

 the Swainby and Osmotherley Road past Wild 

 Goose Nest, skimming the enclosures like a flock 

 of pigeons and topping the walls like greyhounds. 



*' Leaving Slapestones on the left they dashed 

 into the valley over the stream into Thimbleby 

 Wood, where this gallant fox saved his brush, 

 or rather all that was left of it (for he was a bob- 

 tailed one), by going to ground in the Alum 

 Works. 



'' Time from find to finish, fifty-five minutes, 

 with only the slight check above named. 



'' Distance at least nine miles, and taking 

 into consideration the nature of the country, 

 particularly the latter part of it, this must be 

 acknowledged as one of the fastest and best runs 

 of the season.'' 



This was a real good day, and no one rode 

 better than the Rev. Charles Atkinson, at that 

 time the Rector of Sigston, near Northallerton, 



