SEASONS 1841-1869. 87 



Moor, Brafferton Sprino-, Pilmoor, Aldwark Wood and the 

 Linton coverts without finding- ; this being one of the very 

 few blank days of which I find a record in ' the good old 

 times.' 



Sufficient has been said to show that Mr. Bateman 

 showed excellent sport during the years that he ruled over 

 the destinies of the country. At the end of this season he 

 retired, and Sir Charles Slingsby assumed the reins of office. 



The retirement of Mr. Bateman, and the succession of 

 Sir Charles Slingsby, brought about other changes. Sir 

 Charles, who had had considerable experience with a pack 

 of harriers, with which he had shown excellent sport, was 

 anxious to hunt the hounds himself, and Will Danby was 

 getting advanced in years, and a four-days-a-w^eek country 

 was almost too much for him. So when Mr. Bateman 

 retired, he retired also, and the members of the hunt showed 

 their appreciation of his long and valuable services by giving 

 him a handsome testimonial. Danby went to live at Acomb, 

 but he was soon in harness again. Mr. Wilkinson, the master 

 of the Hurworth, was in want of a huntsman, and to him 

 Danby went, and he was kennel-huntsman during the early 

 part of the time that Mr. Parrington hunted that pack. 



The time was now come that the old kennels at Knaves- 

 mire Gate would no longer answer the requirements of the 

 hunt, and the growth of the city in this direction made it 

 desirable that they should be moved farther afield. So a 

 lease was secured of the present kennels at Acomb, and 

 commodious kennels were erected, which were subsequently 

 added to and improved by Colonel Fairfax and Mr. Lycett 

 Green. 



Larger kennels were required by Sir Charles, for he was 

 an enthusiastic hound breeder, and a very successful one to 

 boot. He at once set about importing new blood into the 

 pack, and from his first season he bred largely. The 



