AND STIRLINGSHIRE HUNT 



1906 and 1910, generally ended in many hounds 

 being left out all night, an occurrence which Mr 

 Gillon disliked and always did his best to prevent. 



The season ended formally on the 27th of 

 March, but three days later there was a bye- 

 day at Wester Drumcross where Mr Dawson, 

 a very good friend of the Hunt, gave all who 

 met hounds a hearty welcome. This appointment 

 brought about one of the fastest runs ever seen 

 in the country by those who took part in it ; 

 and neither huntsman nor field had more than 

 an occasional glimpse of hounds from the moment 

 that, after winding their fox from the road, they 

 dashed into the strip of plantation north of 

 Dechmont west-lodge, till they reached Bowden- 

 hill some forty minutes later. ^ 



It was in this season that two accidents of 

 an unusually serious nature happened to the pack. 

 On the 19th of January 1909, after meeting at 

 Boll o' Bere, on the old Lanark road, hounds 

 ran a fox, which they had found at the Rhiins, 

 on to the railway viaduct near Oakbank, and 

 several couples, leaping the parapet, fell nearly 

 ninety feet into the valley of the Linhouse water 

 below. Coverlet was killed outright. Gamecock 

 had to be destroyed, and although Winifred, 

 Corporal, Archer, Darter and Famous ultimately 

 recovered, all were very seriously injured. A 

 sorrier sight, however, was that seen on the 27th 

 of February, when two and a half couples of 



1 ' The Scotsnican,' 31st March 1909. 



327 



