EARLY HISTORY OF THE HUNT. 6l 



The season of 1839-40 opened promisinglv. Cubs were 

 plentiful ; Red House, Skelton, Nun Appleton and Scotton 

 being especially well provided with the 'raw material,' and 

 hounds had very satisfactory sport amongst them, gettino- 

 plenty of blood. They were not long before there was 

 something to talk about, a severe day taking place early in 

 November : — 



' Tuesday, November nth. Copmanthorpe. Tried Copman- 

 ' thorpe Woodj Brocket Hagg and Acaster Whin. Found 

 ' in Stub Wood, ran towards Nun Appleton, turned to the 

 ' right short of Appleton by Woollas, Copmanthorpe Wood, 

 ' Copmanthorpe Field, crossed the road near Buckle's inn, 

 ' up to Bilbrough, past Normans, turned to the right by 

 ' Little Askham, and ran him to ground at Great Askham. 

 ' One hour five minutes. Bolted him, and ran to Swann's 

 ' Whin, Angram, along the bottoms by Ringle Wood, 

 ' along the drain side by Rufforth Mill, Hessay Moor, 

 ' Marston Wood, Marston Grange, down to Wilstrop, turned 

 ' short back to Marston Grange, where the hounds were 

 ' stopped, the horses being tired.' 



' Tuesday, December 3rd. Aldwark Bridge. Tried Aldwark 

 ' Wood and Moor, and Tholthorpe Whin. Found in Spring 

 ' House Wood, ran towards Alne, and then back by Thol- 

 ' thorpe, over Hagg Moor, to Brafferton Spring; ran three 

 ' times round it, and then away towards Helperby, crossed 

 'the w. 'er just above Brafferton, EUenthorpe, crossed the 

 ' road to Norton-le-Clay, Hutton Moor, and stopped the 

 ' hounds at Givendale, near Ripon, at dark.' 



These were two hard days, and hounds would ha\'e a 

 long journey home in the dark from Ripon. It is rather a 

 pity that there is no time for either of these runs, of which 

 the latter must have been a very fine one, for it is a fine 

 point from Alne to Givendale. A fortnight later they had 

 a fine run, this time in the Hammerton country : — 



' Thursday, December igth. Green Hammerton. Tried all the 

 ' Green Hammerton coverts and Kirby Hall. Found in 

 ' Broadfield, ran to Ouseburn, and lost him. Found in 



