1840] THE FIRST WILL SMITH. 73 



There was a very hard three hours and forty minutes 

 from Kirton Covert on January I7th, hounds running 

 from fox to fox without pause till they were stopped at 

 Hibaldstow. The huntsman says, " I was never more 

 pleased with them (the hounds), and I may say this bitch 

 pack has won my heart for ever." For the first hour they 

 went a tremendous pace, and continued to run, now fast 

 and now at reduced speed, till, with yet another fresh fox 

 in front of them, the huntsman pulled them up. It was 

 a run that did not lend itself to description, being of a 

 very ringing nature ; but hounds traversed Kirton, Nor- 

 th orpe, Scotter, Messingham, Scawby, and Hibaldstow 

 lordships. 



The Duke of St. Albans, who was out, and rode par- 

 ticularly well in a run from Chase Hill, on January 29th, 

 was awarded the brush by Smith, he having done likewise 

 to Mrs. G. Skip worth — " the newly-wedded bride, a Miss 

 Kirkham of Agnaby," who had married a fine sportsman 

 a day or two before. 



The annual Steeple Race took place near Melton on 

 February 17th, Mr. Edmund Davy's bay gelding, Ga}^ 

 Lad, who afterwards won the Grand National, being 

 returned the winner. 



Sir J. Copley was out at a bye day at Thornton on 

 March 7th, and the season closed on the 25th, the record 

 standing at fifty -seven foxes killed and twenty- eight run 

 to ground. 



Regular hunting in 1840 began on October 26th, the 

 country being very hard and dry ; and as no mention is 

 made of the cub-hunting, I presume it was not a very 

 satisfactory one : twenty foxes were killed and eight run 

 to ground, being a poor total. 



On December 2nd Will Smith was invited to dine with 

 the Brocklesby Hunt Club, at Caistor, Mr. P. Skipworth, 

 of Aylesby, being in the chair. It was decided to have 

 two Steeple Races in the Barton coursing week of February, 

 and Messrs. P. Skipworth, T. Brooks, and W. Uppleljy 

 were appointed stewards. 



