COLONEL FAIRFAX'S MASTER SHIP. 153 



The season opened on Monday, November 2nd, when 

 they met, as in the previous year, at Aldwark. There is 

 nothing- much to record, for though scent was good, circum- 

 stances were untoward, and only a poor day's sport was the 

 result. Their first fox from Aldwark Wood crossed the river 

 at Linton Lock, and hounds had to be stopped. Then a fox 

 which had been got out of a drain that morning only ran 

 some four fields before he was killed ; and they had not 

 much of a gallop from Court House Wood, where they found 

 the last fox of the day, who beat them. On the following 

 Monday they met at Strensall, where an incident took place 

 which points a moral for a certain class of people who need 

 not be further particularised. ' Found on the common ; 

 bagman, I think,' says Colonel Fairfax. It may be as well 

 to point out here that it is impossible to deceive experts with 

 a bag fox. Hounds cannot be deceived, and they have a 

 way of communicating their knowledge to those who under- 

 stand their ways. Many a man who wants it to be thought 

 that he preserves foxes, when he does nothing of the sort, 

 provides the Hungerford market variety, and Hatters himself 

 that no one is any the wiser. It would enlighten gentlemen 

 of this class considerably were they to be behind the door 

 where hunting men congregate, and to hear the comments 

 upon their conduct. Later on in the day a lady's horse 

 threw her, and galloping off amongst the hounds, caused 

 them to lose their fox, so that on the whole there was a 

 chapter of accidents on this day at Strensall. It was, how- 

 ever, made up for by the sport on the next day, which was 

 very satisfactory to a huntsman, though it was not productive 

 of very much incident. After a lot ot hound work, they 

 killed a brace of foxes. On the 14th they met at Crockey 

 Hill, where they only found two foxes, and Colonel Fairfax 

 remarks that the outlook for the season is not very cheering 

 in that locality. There was a fair average of sj^ort throughout 



