156 THE GROUSE 



1805, George Fisher, keeper to Mr. Stan- 

 hope, drove "the low moor at Raynor 

 stones" for the benefit of the squire's 

 schoolboy sons. There were, naturally, 

 no erections in the nature of butts, but 

 the boys found shelter among some rocks. 



The practice was continued in subse- 

 quent years, and found favour with Mr. 

 Stanhope's guests, among whom was to 

 be found the famous " Coke of Norfolk," 

 by then Earl of Leicester, and still taking 

 part in the sport, though eighty-three 

 years of age, when it is recorded he was 

 one of the guns at the " Boadhill " drive 

 in August of 1836. 



The first recognised shelter used by 

 the guns was an old sand-hole for repairing 

 the road. The uniform success of the 

 gun who secured the sand-hole led to 

 other holes being dug all over the moor. 

 At first the bags were very small, and 

 three brace for a gun was considered a 

 big drive ; but as the drives were re- 

 arranged and extended, the results showed 

 a corresponding improvement, till in the 



