104 FOX-HUNTING FROM SHIRE TO SHIRE 



Tom Isaac's third and last season, 1910-11, with the 

 Blankney, was pronounced one of the best on record, 

 for it is seldom that the pack have enjoyed such an 

 uninterrupted spell of sport, the weather being 

 remarkably open. The best runs were undoubtedly 

 after Christmas, and that of March i, igii was 

 a brilliant hound performance. After meeting at 

 Skellingthorpe, hounds ran for three and a half 

 hours, hunting a fox awa}^ from the Big Wood, and 

 were beaten at the finish by their pilot getting to 

 ground. The point was nine miles, but quite 

 fourteen the line hounds ran. This is how Isaac 

 described the hunt. " We hunted at a walking 

 pace for half an hour, then I got a view and 

 we had a regular burst so long as I could keep 

 his head up wind. It was slower hunting again, 

 but hounds were all the while at him, and so ran to 

 ground." Sport absolutely different in character 

 resulted next day, after meeting in Sleaford market- 

 place, pleasing a large section of holiday-makers 

 and townspeople. Rousing a fat fox in Sleaford 

 wood he led the pack a ring out towards Holdingham 

 and Leasingham, back to Sleaford town. Hounds 

 crossed the railway, and Isaac left his horse, climb- 

 ing the stiff fences, running for all he was worth 

 with the pack, and crossing two fields they entered 

 the cattle-market where they killed a fine old dog- 

 fox. Hundreds of people were quickly on the 

 scene, including the Sleaford Grammar School boys, 

 some of the day-boys dashing off for their ponies to 

 join the chase, regardless of consequences ! The 

 mask of this fox was presented to the man in charge 

 of the cattle-yard, who had seen reynard foraging 

 about all winter. 



Another brilliant run was that of Saturday, 

 March 18, 191 1, after meeting at the Four Horse- 



