136 FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 



the pack got over the wall, but they coursed him 

 in view and caught him in the open at the end 

 of the next field. It was a very good run, and I 

 never saw anyone more delighted than the Duke 

 was at the finish, when he and Mr. Amcotts 

 Wilson started on their homeward journey of 

 fifteen miles from Norton Conyers to Hornby 

 Castle. It was a very old dog-fox, and he kindly 

 had the head mounted and sent to our house, 

 where it hangs to this day. 



A few days later I had a tombstone placed 

 on the spot to commemorate the event, with '' Hie 

 Jacet '' and the date thereon. The Bedale second 

 whipper-in at that time had rather a hump 

 on his back, and went by the nickname of 

 '' Humpy.'' This hump almost seemed to act 

 as an accumulator, for he had a singularly shrill 

 hallo. The following season the hounds were 

 trotting along to draw, and, as we passed this 

 spot, I pointed with my whip towards the tomb- 

 stone, and said to '' Humpy,'' '' You remember 

 what happened there ? " He had not a retentive 

 memory apparently, for he at once exclaimed, 

 '' Poor gentleman ! was he killed on the 

 spot ? " 



On the Duke's retirement the Hunt, in ap- 

 preciation of his services, presented him with a 

 testimonial in the form of a silver fox, from a 



