First Whipper-io. '45 



went to live there. Sir William had a fine stud of horses, 

 and mounted us well, and we had some fine sport during his 

 first mastership. Scent was not very grand during the 

 season of 1878-9, but we had a remarkably hard day in 

 February, 1879, after the meet at Middridge, running for 

 three-and-a-half hours from Simpasture, past Woodham 

 plantation, the Agnew, across the Darlington and Durham 

 turnpike road to Coldsides, where we had a check through 

 some sheep crossing the Hne ; then forward to Bradbury 

 Village through Gipsy whin, by Trundle plantation to Bishop 

 Middleham, and pointing for Sedgefield, but turned to right 

 past Sedgefield Station, left Morden on left, and crossed the 

 Bradbury carrs nearly to Copelaw, passing Traveller's Rest, 

 to within two fields of Simpasture (where we found) ; on he 

 went past Woodham village, through Coldsides fox-cover, 

 past Nunstainton, Chilton Hall, and turning back once more 

 made past Bradbury Village, over Mrs. Burdon's farm at 

 Coldsides, through the covert for the third time, along the 

 Skerne banks nearly up to Isle farm, where we viewed him 

 a field in front of hounds. Here a fresh fox jumped up, but 

 Claxon sticking to his fox killed him handsomely in the open 

 after three hours and a half, or upwards, during which time 

 we covered a tremendous lot of ground, and if it had been 

 straight it would have been an uncommon big and smart 

 thing. 



A real good day in the second year of Sir William's first 

 mastership was on November 7th, 1879, in the east country, 

 when we met at Wolviston ; found at Nodding's whin, and 

 after a sharp skurry, ran to ground in a few minutes ; 

 quickly found again in "Bob" Stephenson's bean field, near 

 Brierton, and ran through Brierton whinny fields to Lax's 

 whin ; crossed the North Burn by Claxton House, and 



