'9^ Reminiscences of a 



it was, and I wouldn't like to say ; these horses carried 

 him well, and I am sorry to hear that he is no longer seen 

 at the covert side, as he always seemed to he of great 

 assistance to the hunt, and in many minor details ; and also 

 had, and I hear still has, any amount of foxes on his farm 

 at Seaton Hills, near Thorpe Thewles. There must have 

 been breeds of foxes there for centuries, as there were 

 wagon loads of fresh sand drawn out every spring, when I 

 first came into the country, and had been so to all appear- 

 ances, and from all accounts, for many years. 



Another good sporting gentleman from the neighbourhood 

 of Darlington, or rather Aycliffe to be exactly correct, was 

 Mr. George Chapman, who still appears to be as keen for 

 the chase as ever he was, and as good a preserver of foxes. 

 Through his life's career, Mr. Chapman has generally had a 

 good class of hunter, not on the big side, but clever and up 

 to weight, with the exception perhaps of a bay mare, which, 

 sore against his wish, tried to show her ability over stiff 

 timber at Redworth wood* one morning with the Earl of 

 Zetland's, but, failing to get up high enough, gave Mr. 

 Chapman a severe reminder of the danger of gate jumping, 

 and made him think that he would be safer in a trap ; so 

 he readily accepted my offer to change positions with me, 

 as I was driving with Claxon to see hounds throw off. We 

 had the mare at Rushyford, through the kindness of Mr. 

 Chapman, for about a month after this, and converted her 

 into a very clever little huntress. 



I remember Mr. J. B. Dale was out that day, riding a 



• It is more than likely that this was on November 10th, 1883, when the Earl of Zetland's 

 hounds met at Heighington, and found a fox first outside Redworth whin ; drove him 

 through Windlestone, and lost him at Bishop Middleham village ; a nice point of over 

 six miles. 



