52 THE BROCKLESBY HOUNDS. [1827 



a day or two afterwards " in consequence of Will Mason 

 getting married on August 21st." The period of education 

 finished on October 20th, and was " by far the best cub- 

 hunting season I ever saw in my life. We have had many 

 hard days for hounds in covert, and pretty runs over the 

 country, with beautiful kills." Hounds were out thirty- 

 two times, killed forty-one foxes, and run eight to ground, 

 many of which hounds must have killed had they remained 

 above ground a little longer. 



In 1828 Smith managed to make an earlier start than 

 he had been able to do during the last few years ; but 

 there was no scent to mark the commencement of the 

 season on August 4th, though by the 8th they settled 

 down to a short spell of good scenting weather. However, 

 the diary comes to an abrupt conclusion on the 11th, so 

 I conclude that the huntsman was far from satisfied with 

 the season. 



August 24th is the first cub-hunting entry in 1829, 

 and beginning in Newsham Chase, they spent three hours 

 there and in the neighbourhood, with a moderate scent. 

 Hounds only seemed to enjoy moderate sport, and the 

 best entry is on September 14th. 



Of 1830 there is no record, and August 19th is the 

 first entry for 1831, when the dog pack spent a busy 

 mornino- in Newsham Chase and killed a cub. 



On October 11th hounds slept out in order to meet at 

 Thonock House on the morrow. Soon after one o'clock 

 huntsman and whippers-in were aroused by the alarm of 

 fire at Gate Burton House, the residence of Mr. Hutton. 

 I take it that Thonock House was the house of Sir C. 

 Anderson, for Will talks of calling him up, and that he 

 and his two whippers-in set ofi" with the fire-engines from 

 Gainsborough to render what assistance they could. The 

 fire seems to have originated from the laundry stove, but 

 little damage was done, though some of the ladies w^ere 

 nearly suffocated by smoke before they could be rescued 

 from their rooms. October 15th was the last day's cub- 

 hunting, which had been a satisfactory one on the whole, 



