8 HISTORY OF THE YORK AND AINSTY HUNT. 



\vere over it, and with a bit of luck horses might get 

 over it too ; at any rate, there was a strong body of 

 sportsmen who were determined to try. Mr. Lycett Green, 

 Major Onslow, Will Gray, and a lady, whose name I 

 forget, got over all right, though not quite without a 

 scramble, and it of course goes without saying that they 

 did not make the landing any the better for those who 

 had to follow. The result was that seven good men and 

 true were in it with their horses, floundering about in the 

 chilly bottom, and as the far bank was plumb, horses 

 naturally went to the side where they could get out easily, 

 and when they were joined by their owners it was on the 

 wrong side. One and one alone got in and was able to 

 ride out, though of course on the wrong side, and that was 

 a lady who was served by her light weight. One 

 gentleman had a very curious experience, which I am sure 

 he will forgive me for relating. He was ridino- his horse, 

 not perhaps qiiiie so fresh as he might be, hard at the 

 drain, and when on the edge of it, the horse changed 

 legs and stopped so suddenly, that his rider was shot 

 over his head to land on his feet at the other side, 

 whilst so great was the impetus, that the horse, relieved 

 of the weight of his rider, jumped the drain and landed 

 safely. 



Hawkhills, Stillington, Beningbrough Hall, Blue Bridge, 

 Sutton-on-the-Forest, Strensall, Aldwark, Alne Station, 

 Skelton, and Myton Hall are amongst the principal 

 fixtures in the Monday country. From Hawkhills, where 

 there are some good though not very large woods, is a 

 nice galloping country, and though there is some plough, 

 it does not ride so heavy as some of the plough f^u'ther 

 north and south. Near Stillington there is a very good 

 gorse covert, one of the best in the hunt, or for the 

 matter of that in any hunt, for it is beautifully situated, 



I 



