78 The Bedale Hounds, 1832-1908 



the order was cancelled, and he continued 

 to work for several seasons. 



About this time a strange sight was one 

 day witnessed, when hounds met at Newby 

 Hall. 



As soon as they had found a fox at the 

 Duck Pond covert in the Park, and were just 

 settUng down nicely to the Hne, Mr. Booth, 

 Mr. Clare Vyner, Mr. Peter Wilkinson, and 

 Captain R. Meysey-Thompson were seen to 

 gallop madly on top of hounds, despite the 

 huntsman's remonstrances to 'hold hard.' 

 After they had got about a quarter of a mile 

 ahead of fox and hounds, this apparently 

 mad quartette pulled up ; when the aston- 

 ished ''field' ' was told that what had occurred 

 was to decide whether hounds or well-bred 

 horses were the faster for a few furlongs. 



Mr. Booth and Vyner backing the hounds, 

 Mr. Wilkinson and Captain Meysey-Thompson 

 the horses. 



On the 16th January there was a good run. 



Found in a small covert close to Thornton 

 Watlass, ran past the Hall, towards the Old 

 Whin as if for Marriforth ; turning short of 

 this, the fox went over Nomans Moor, through 

 Cocked Hat Wood, and out towards Ruswick 

 Gill, but bore right-handed from this to 

 Newton-le- Willows ; crossed the Beck, past 

 Grazing Nook Farm, and over the hill by 

 Hunton, as if Thornhills Whin was his point ; 

 being headed short of this covert, he kept on 

 northwards, and leaving Scotton Hall on the 

 right was killed about three-quarters of a mile 



