HISTORY OF THE KILDARE HUNT 



and could not hunt a yard," and such like dolor- 

 ous remarks occur on almost every page of the 

 diary. A better day was November 25, 1850. 



" Ran from Coolmine towards Lyons and back, 

 then towards Gowchers and back. Then got on 

 another fox ran across Lynams along the moun- 

 tains towards Dublin, and killed after a splendid 

 hunting run of more than two hours, not including 

 the rings." In December of 1850 is a record, rare in 

 Kildare at that day. " In consequence of there 

 being a crowd of people at every covert (St Ste- 

 phen's Day), we did not find a fox." 



The year 1851 opened with a good run, though 

 apparently with a change of foxes. 



" Jan 2. Ran from Three Castles very fast to 

 Downshire, through the park to Eadstown; through 

 Eadstown to Forenaughts; back to Eadstown when 

 we got on a fresh fox which we ran to Elver stown, 

 when I whipped off the hounds. Horses all beat. A 

 fine run of two hours and four minutes." Here on 

 the nth of the same month is the record of sport 

 of a different quality. 



" Ran from Kill close to Mongans, then by Castle- 

 warden to Lyons in 17 minutes. Fox dead beat, 

 when we got on another fox. Ran from Punchbowl 

 towards Three Castles, fox then turned and hounds 

 ran him at a tremendous pace to ground between 

 Arthurstown and Kilteel; 20 minutes. Such good 

 sport never was known. W. K." 

 194 



