in the Seventies and Eighties. 63 



Mr. G. C. Whitwell, and others indulged. It is such pleasant 

 entertainments as these that keep many a hunt together ; 

 and may I often be present at such another." 



Similar dinners and pleasant evenings were repeated 

 during the season at the houses of Mr. R. C. Denton, a 

 staunch supporter, and of Mr. A. De L. Long, a firm friend 

 of the Hunt, and both these gentlemen, it goes for saying, 

 proved themselves the very soul of hospitality. 



Amongst those who attended the festive meets were the 

 Master, Hon. Secretary, Messrs. R. C. and J. P. Denton, 

 Page- Page, George Whitv/ell, Faber, Ropner, Sadler, Dodds. 



As a rule a season's hunting does not perhaps include 

 more than half a dozen really first-class days, but in this 

 year of our grace 1881-2 there were no less than fourteen or 

 fifteen days with the South Durham foxhounds, which carry 

 with them the pleasantest recollections, and reference to a 

 diary seems to bring back in the most vivid manner every 

 incident that occurred, now, alas ! over twenty years ago ! One 

 or two days only will be referred to, as nothing is so tiresome 

 as the infliction upon readers of good sport of which they did 

 not partake, though it may equally well be said that nothing 

 is so interesting to those who were participators in them as 

 the recollection of bygone days, which were a source of 

 pleasure to them at the time. 



November 2nd was a grand day, when the hounds met at 

 Trimdon, and killed a leash of foxes after three runs of 

 fifteen minutes, fifty minutes and twenty minutes all of the 

 best ; but, perhaps, December 2nd was more noteworthy 

 from the fact that it was one of the first days that Mr. W. 

 Briggs,* who has for the last twenty years played such a 



* Mr. W. Briggs's first day was March 31st, 1879, when the meet also was at Trimdon, 

 and a fox, found at Park House Whin, was killed in the open near the same covert, 

 after a very fine gallop. 



