U THE BROCKLESBY HOUNDS. [1820 



and scentless day, and Smith thinks they would have 

 finished with greater credit had it been brought to a 

 close a week earlier. The total of the slain this season 

 was one hundred and thirteen. 



A somewhat dry, scentless cub-hunting was not 

 productive of good sport at first, but October brought 

 a change for the better, and the young entry then 

 gave every satisfaction to their huntsman. Forty-one 

 foxes came to hand during the educational period of 

 1820. 



The season opened on October 25th, at Beelsby Covert, 

 but scent was bad, though hounds managed to kill two 

 brace of foxes. 



Smith took a toss near Bradley Wood on November 

 6th, which kept him out of the saddle for a day or two ; 

 and on the 13th of the same month he lost a Grainsby 

 Healing fox because " the hounds were shamefully over- 

 ridden by the sportsmen ; " a similar thing happening on 

 the 20th, when "hounds were shamefully overridden by 

 several gentlemen — particularly Mr, Thomas Brooks — and 

 carried quite off" the scent, and most of them went into 

 the plantation without a scent." 



The first good day was from Peeks on November 27th, 

 when they began by running two Peeks foxes to ground, 

 and did likewise with one from Holton Cross after a 

 smartly run, but twisting, burst by AValtham and Brigsley, 

 first towards Grainsby Healing, and then over the Barton 

 Street to Ravendale, where, with the hounds in very close 

 attendance, the fox went to ground in the main earths. 

 They found their next fox in Fenby Wood, and, after two 

 or three rings in covert, he went away with Ashby and 

 Brigsley villages on the left, and Waltham and Bradley 

 Gears on the right, through Bradley Wood to Laceby 

 Cottagers' Plats. Hounds changed foxes here, and went 

 on past Aylesby mill, and, with Laceby on the left, to 

 Blindhills, where they were overridden and brought to 

 a check. AVhen set going again they ran through Washing- 

 dales to Irby Dales, dividing into three or four lots there, 



