The Bedale Hounds, 1832-1908 73 



heading as if for Entercommon ; but bearing 

 to the left, the fox went through Forty Acres 

 Wood, across into Beverley Wood, and running 

 the whole length of this covert, got to ground 

 in Sockburn Scar, just in front of hounds. 



There is no doubt that at this time there 

 was a great scarcity of foxes all over the 

 country, as on the 28th December, when 

 hounds met at Leeming station, eighteen 

 coverts were drawn without the line of a fox 

 being touched. 



On the 22nd December, a large meeting 

 of the members of the Hunt, and others 

 interested, was held in Bedale (Mr. Mark 

 Milbank, presiding) ; when all the large 

 land owners pledged themselves to do every- 

 thing in their power to ensure the better 

 preservation of foxes. This promise was 

 kept, and for a time a marked improvement 

 was visible in the supply. 



As the Bedale hounds occasionally cross 

 the river Yore into the York and Ainsty 

 country from Newby Hall, it may be well 

 to mention briefly the terrible accident which 

 happened with the York and Ainsty at the 

 ferry there on February 4th, 1869, whereby 

 Sir Charles Slingsby (the Master) Mr. Edward 

 Lloyd, Mr. James Robinson, William Orvis 

 (kennel huntsman), Christopher and James 

 Warriner (the ferrymen), were drowned. 



Thirteen men and eleven horses were on 

 the ferry boat, six men and nine horses were 

 drowned. The survivors among the men 

 being Sir George Wombwell, Bart., Captain 



