158 HISTORY OF THE YORK AND AINSTY HUNT. 



' Mr. Wilkinson is much annoyed at his men, and will see that 



' they trespass in the whin no more. 

 ' The Court thank Herring for his evidence, and also hope that 



' he will keep a sharp look out that no persons trespass in 



' the covert on any pretence whatever. 

 ' 28th April, 1875. ' T. F. Fairfax.' 



The season of 1875-76 commenced on September 6th, 

 and sport during the month was not very good, though 

 hounds accounted satisfactorily for their foxes. As a rule, 

 though, scent was bad, the ground was very hard, and there 

 were considerable difficulties to contend with. Still fourteen 

 foxes in as many days was no bad record, and we read that 

 the bitches had the most luck. They had twenty-nine days' 

 cubbing, and got hold of fifteen-and-a-half brace of foxes, 

 so that they may be said to have begun the season well. 



They opened the regular season at Hawk Hills on 

 November ist, and found a good show of foxes in all the 

 coverts there, but had not much sport. But they had not 

 long to wait for a really first-rate day : — 



' Thursday, November 1 1 th. Street Houses. Ball day. Trotted 

 ' off to Colton. Found, away to Copmanthorpe, Bishop- 

 ' thorpe, back to Copmanthorpe Wood, over the earth 

 ' there, very fast over Appleton Beck to Low Acaster, 

 ' where he crossed the river for Long Rush, ]\Ioreby. 

 ' Luckily we got the hounds back. Hounds ran hard 

 ' and fast and would soon have killed him. Monkton, 

 'Johnstone, Fox, C. Molyneux, Leeman, etc., went well. 

 ' Most of field choked off by the drains. Went to 

 ' Swann's Whin, found, away to Rufford and back to 

 ' whin to ground. So ended a good day's sport. Three 

 ' horses killed.' 



Mr. Fairfax^ died on November 24th, after a comparatively 

 short illness, and Yorkshire lost one of her most notable 

 sportsmen. Hounds did not hunt for a few days, and as 



(i) The Master's father. 



