1818] THE FIRST WILL SMITH. 39 



The regular season started very early — on October 12tli, 

 in fact— in the North Woods, Linwood ; but there was too 

 much wind for good sport, and the first bright item was a 

 fast gallop with a fox from Dunkirk, on October 17th, by 

 AVootton, Ulceby Field, and Bow Bridge towards Skitter, 

 and thence in the direction of Newsham, where hounds ran 

 from scent to view in the grass fields and killed their fox. 



Tory, a very good hound, was killed by a kick from a 

 horse on October 19th, and on November 14th young Will 

 Smith unfortunately broke his collar-bone at Thornton. 



The sharpest burst in Smith's recollection came about 

 from Grimble Wood on November 16th, and he says he 

 never saw hounds run faster nor so many beaten horses. 

 The fox went away through Ormsby Wood to the village, 

 and towards Wyham, first turning left and then right to 

 Wold Newton, and then swinging right-handed through 

 Beesby Wood towards Ilawerby. But both the strength 

 and the heart of the fugitive were failing him, and, with 

 the hounds in hot and close pursuit, he doubled back to 

 Beesby Wood, where they killed him. They had run the 

 whole way without check or hesitation. 



There was a very good twisting hunt, on December 5th, 

 from Keelby Sprothorns to Stallingborough Scrubl)s, and 

 up and down the marshes, till the exhausted fox was 

 drowned in the Grimsby Haven. 



Smith records the death of his favourite horse, Sir 

 Harry, on December 14th, the old horse having to be 

 shot on account of inflammation of the kidneys or a hurt 

 that he received on the 11th. Smith says, "I never 

 expect to ride his equal ; a better I never can." 



I find the first record of a timed run on December 21st, 

 " a pretty run of an hour and a quarter" from Keeds Mere. 

 It consisted of a ring towards Roxton, close past Imming- 

 ham Church nearly to Houlton's covert, right-handed by 

 the Humber bank, Stallingborough kiln and Stalling- 

 borough, and through Wise Garth to Reeds Mere again. 

 Hounds ran him straio;ht throuoh towards the kiln, left- 

 handed to the battery, and along the warp — it then being 



