34 The Sedgefield Country 



whipper-in, when he was well known to Oxford under- 

 graduates, who hunted with Viscount Valentia as " hard- 

 riding Will." He also engaged John Bevans as first whip, 

 under the circumstances narrated by himself, and Charles 

 Hawkes came to fill the position of second whipper-in, there 

 having previously been but one ' whip.' Sevan's own account 

 of the hounds, and all that appertained to them from this 

 period until his retirement in 1879, is so graphic that fur- 

 ther allusion to them is almost unnecessary ; but there were 

 various changes in the mastership and regime of the Hunt 

 during the next decade that require more than passing notice 

 from time to time. 



One of the best days near the close of Mr. Harvey's long 

 and eventful career, namely, on January 18th, 1878, is worth 

 recording ; and as a very quaint account of it, which ap- 

 peared in the South Durham Herald about this time, is in 

 my possession, it is reproduced here as a specimen of a 

 sporting literary effort of a quarter of a century ago ; and 

 showing how rigidly the strict yet unwritten etiquette of fox- 

 hunting was adhered to in bygone days. 



A day with the South Durham Foxhounds. — Sir, — On 

 Friday, January 18th, met at Carlton; morning rather hazy; 

 after a white frost. Drew California (Clement's whin) blank. 

 Weather now cleared up, and went to Gray's plantation — 

 drew it blank. I was much amused by a remark made by 

 one of the right sort (a very heavy weight) going to draw 

 Gray's plantation — " this is piling on the agony ! "* No fox 

 there, we then trotted on to Oxeye but did not find a fox at 

 home. The Master then gave the word to go over and give 

 Squire Sutton a call at Elton, and see if that magnificent 

 specimen of the old English sportsman had a fox in his pre- 



* This sounds like Mr. George C. Whitwell, on his old grey mare. 



