96 THE BROCKLESBY HOUNDS. [1865 



over the Caistor road to Limber. The fox got up in view 

 out of a turnip-field and ran a field or two up to the 

 Caistor road, where he turned down wind, and it was 

 deemed unsafe to pursue him further in the gathering 

 gloom. Long says he never saw hounds hunt a fox 

 better, and makes particular mention of Harbinger, Help- 

 mate, Gallant, Fencer, Feudal, Lexicon, Freeman, Nelson, 

 Grecian, Hannibal, Random, and Larkspur. 



On December 9 th there was a good fifty minutes from 

 Holton's covert over the Immingham marshes, and through 

 Rough Pastures, Newsham, and Waterhills, the hounds 

 eventually killing their fox in Thomas' wood after a 

 ring or two ; and on the 12th a fast thirty -five minutes 

 to ground at L'by from Badger Hills finished up a 

 hard day begun at Usselby Fishpond. December 16th 

 was an unlucky day for the bitches, for they had run 

 a fox to a standstill, and it was only a check at the 

 end of the run caused by the field pressing too closely 

 on their heels, that enabled the fox to go to ground 

 just in front of them. The meet had been at Cux- 

 wold House, and the Asholt being tenantless, hounds 

 found their first fox at Croxby Pond, running a fast 

 ring to Hatclifi'e and back, thence over Thorganby Park 

 to Swinhope, and with Binbrook Hill on the right, round 

 left-handed to Mr. W. Wright's house at Wold Newton. 

 Next they turned to the right nearly to Wyham, then to 

 the left, and straight through Hell Furze, where the field 

 pressed hounds and checked them. Slowly they hunted 

 the fast-sinking fox back to Wyham, where, only just in 

 front of them, he went to ground near Mr. Isles' house. 



A fortnight's frost stopped hounds during the last 

 week of 1864 and the first of 1865, and they did not keep 

 their appointment on January 11th owing to the death of 

 Mr. Pelham Barnard, of Bigby ; nor did they hunt again 

 till the 18th, though Long had a day with the Belvoir on 

 the 14th, and one with the Grove on the 16th, neither 

 day being productive of much sport. Frost and snow 

 again stopped hunting on and off" from January 20th till 



