The Foxhound. 6;^ 



a fox that had been doing mischief near Strawberry 

 Bank. A drag was soon found, which led into 

 Skelgill Wood, from whence hounds went away on 

 a strong Hne. The course taken was over the 

 shoulder of Wansfell, down past the Old Grove, 

 and away up the valley towards the " Highest 

 House ; " but before reaching this point the fox 

 swung to the left, crossed the Kirkstone road, and 

 went over the highest point of the Red Screes. 

 Thence he made down to Cayston, where he ran 

 completely round the head of Scandale on the 

 wall, a manoeuvre by which he got rid of his pur- 

 suers for some time. But the huntsman and others 

 coming up, hounds were cast forward to High Pike, 

 where he was again unkennelled among the crags. 

 Making at once for the highest point, he crossed 

 close to the '' stone man " on the top, and then sink- 

 ing the hill went down into the Vale of RydaL 

 The day was now growing cold and stormy, and 

 scent was not good, but hounds persevered at a 

 fair pace, driving him through Hart Crag on to 

 the top of Fairfield. Here a bitter gale was blow- 

 ing, and bringing up a thick mist. There was neither 

 seeing nor hearing, and all the followers of the 

 hunt could do was to collect all the stragglers they 

 could, and set their faces towards home. Mean- 

 while some eight or nine hounds drove their fox 



