1818] THE FIRST WILL SMITH. 37 



Except for three, who were short of work, every hound did 

 remarkably well, and Blowsey, Trojan, and Dover finished 

 as fresh as when they started. 



There was a quick burst from Wrawby Moor to Ulceby 

 Mill, without a check, and hounds killing their fox in the 

 open on January 16th ; and then frost again stopped hunting 

 from January 31st till February 16th, the first item after 

 the rest being a very fast run from Swallow Wold to Cottagers' 

 Dale, after which came woodland hunting and repeated 

 changes. Smith says he never saw hounds go faster or 

 saw so many blown horses. There was also a good day 

 from Grainsby House on March 9th, beginning with a very 

 fast run from Waltham Lino; mere throuQ-h Holton Cross 

 towards Peeks, and back through Holton and Waltham 

 towards Brigsley, where the fox turned right-handed to 

 Bradley Wood, in which, after a turn in covert, hounds 

 killed him. This was followed by a run from Wybers 

 Wood to Great Coates, thence through Little Coates Decoy 

 and left-handed into the marshes. After first makino; 

 nearly for the Humber bank, liounds turned left-handed 

 down the marshes, with Great Coates, Healing, and 

 Stallingborough away on the left, to Immingham. This 

 is a fine line of country ; but I wonder how they got over 

 the main drains, and if there were as many hunting 

 bridoes as there are now.* After leavinoj Imminofham 

 the fox crossed a corner of Habrough field en route to 

 Killingholme, turned right-handed by Houlton's covert, 

 thence past Killingholme Manor, and past Burkinshaw's 

 covert nearly to Chase Hill, where hounds were stopped, it 

 then being quite dark. Smith said that with a little more 

 daylight he must have killed his fox, for he was twisting 

 al)out as if quite lost, and he must have been very beat. 



Yet another fine burst came ofi" on ]\ larch 1 1 tli, when 

 hounds ran without the slightest check or hesitation from 

 Barrow Hand by East Halton, Habrough Field, and New- 

 sham to Watermills, where they killed their fox. The 



* According to Mr. Charles Gary Barnard the drains arc biutjjcr now than they 

 used to be. 



