lOo HISTORY OF THE YORK AND AINSTY HUNT. 



Nothing remains now but for me to tell what is known 

 of Sir Charles Slingsby's last season, — the season of 1868- 

 69, — which was fraught with such tragic consequences. Of 

 the latter part of this season there is a plentiful record, for 

 the Special Commissioner of the Field paid a visit to the 

 country in the fore part of the year 1869, and has left a 

 very interesting account of his experiences. These I am 

 enabled to give through the courtesy of the editor : — 



'The York and Ainsty Hounds and Country, by "Cecil." 



' . . . . On Wednesday night the county ball was held, and the 

 ' attendance was large. The following morning the hounds 

 ' met at Acaster, which is about four miles from York, and 

 ' although the rain fell copiously all the day, there was an 

 'extensive muster, including Lord Wenlock, Lord Downe, 

 ' Sir Lionel Pilkington, Sir Georg'e Wombwell, Mr. George 

 ' Lane Fox, Mr. Read, Mr. Johnstone, and very many others. 

 ' Stub Wood held a fox, but the hounds did not get away 

 'on good terms with him. They then ran nearly to Nun 

 ' Appleton, from thence in the direction of Copmanthorpe, 

 'when he turned pointing for Askham Bogs, which, how- 

 ' ever, he did not enter, but making his way back towards 

 ' Copmanthorpe, after running upwards of two hours, they 

 ' killed him in the open.' 



' The York and Ainsty' in the Field. 

 ' It may be fairly c^uestioned whether the man who sticks to 

 ' one particular pack, knows each hound in it, can trace 

 ' each one's ancestry, and has a mental catalogue t)f their 

 ' good and bad deeds, — or he who ranges from pack to pack, 

 ' from country to country, noting the different styles and 

 ' characters of hunting that are brought into play by various 

 ' accidental circumstances, — most enjoys the pleasure of the 

 ' chase. There is much to be said on both sides; but giving 

 ' the stay-at-homes every credit for loyalty to their pack 

 ' and their country, I must confess that the Bohemian 

 ' element is sb strong in my nature, that continually finding 

 ' in the same coverts, running- over the same country (were 

 ' it the finest in the world), and jumping the same fences, 

 ' would, in time, begin to pall. 



