in the Seventies and Eighties. 91 



"Few packs have probably enjoyed better sport than has 

 fallen to the lot of the South Durham foxhounds during the 

 past few weeks, and after such an auspicious commence- 

 ment, with a good show of cubs in all the best portions of 

 the country, there is every prospect of an " old-fashioned " 

 season, provided only that the elements, which have been 

 anything but kind to Sir William Eden, the popular M.F.H., 

 during his successive masterships, are fairly propitious this 

 winter. The following is an outline of the sport enjoyed 

 since October 31st. Met at Sands Hall and were favoured 

 with a fine hunting morning, the " going " being much im- 

 proved by the rain of the previous day. The wind being 

 westerly, drew Bog Hall covert first, and had some difficulty 

 in dislodging a fine cub from the thick gorse, scent in covert 

 being nil; but once away a change came over the scene, 

 and hounds ran very merrily over the Spring Lane to Nese- 

 less, where reynard tarried not, making Homer Carr his 

 point, and here he was bowled over after a lively twenty- 

 seven minutes. Picked up a fresh line just outside the 

 plantation, and raced behind the flying bitch pack over a 

 stiffish line of country to the north of Foxton, back to Bog 

 Hall covert, where we had a minute or two's breathing 

 time ; ousted him out, and ran into him in the open on the 

 east side of the Spring Lane near Foxton ; time, twenty-five 

 minutes. This was a good game cub, and more than a 

 match for the leading hound, which faced him but did not 

 care to tackle him single-handed. 



Friday, November 2nd, was a pouring wet day, hardly 



few days after he received the following note from the sporting Vicar of Bishopton, The 

 Rev. C. H Ford: "My Dear Ord, — This is a true story. One of my Sunday School 

 teachers asked one of her scholars yesterday, in Bishopton School, ' what happens on 

 Good Friday?' Answer: 'The hounds meet at Bishopton!' Fact sir. 'Comment 

 superfluous.' Yours, &c., C. H. Ford." 



