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which were well rattled about, as also in the gorse above 

 Finlayston, but without a " Who'-hoop." The moment the 

 hounds were thrown into the east gorse above Finlayston 

 House there was an immediate "chorus," and a fox broke 

 straight up the hill to the west of Bogside Farm, and going to 

 the east of Knockmountain, he turned up over Barscube Hill 

 to the north of the Eden Farm. Then going along the north 

 side, the Colonel thought he went into the top side of Park 

 Erskine Glen, above Drums; and not wishing to disturb Mr. 

 Graham's coverts, he and the field following rode down the 

 glen on purpose to stop the hounds; but the hunted fox had 

 never gone into the covert, but just skirting the top end 

 turned sharp to the right, and nine and a-half couple of 

 hounds raced him through Muirtown Covert on to Elphin- 

 stone. Here Squires lost his running hounds. Standing 

 on the highest point of Knockmountain, Mr. Aitken's 

 keeper (a keen preserver of foxes) and myself, on foot, 

 were astonished to see the nine and a-half couple come 

 racing down the hill from Elphinstone without a soul 

 near them. Crossing the Dargavel Burn, they then ran 

 up along the wall that leads up to the road, down to Fin- 

 layston, as if the fox was going back to his old quarters; 

 but turning to the left, they crossed the hollow, and casting 

 our eyes forward, we viewed a small dark coloured fox making 

 for the gorse; but seeing us as he turned round the bottom, 

 not going up to the main earth, he went on down through the 

 hollow up to the strips, and, leaving the Doctor's house to the 

 right, went away to the left of the village of Kilmalcolm, and 

 was run into just a little above the Buchanan Arms, without 

 a rider within five miles of them. Young Mr. Stoddart 

 (Broadfield), happening to be coming up from the train, saw 

 the "kill," and picking up the fox, went away in search of 

 Squires; but I have not heard as yet if he fell in with him. 

 The event caused quite a sensation in the village. Up to 

 Park Erskine Glen there was no check and all grass, and the 

 Colonel and Mr. D. Kippen, who were in it, inform me that 

 it was as nice a twenty-five minutes as they have ever seen in 



