i6o HISTORY OF THE YORK AND A IN STY HUNT. 



It was an amiable trait in Colonel Fairfax's character 

 that 'he loved a run best when a friend saw it too'; and 

 frequently in his diary does he express his regret when his 

 field, or some of them, have inadvertently missed a run. 

 Of this, the following- extract affords an instance : — • 



'Tuesday, P'ebruary 8th. Reel House. Found in wood, 

 ' stopped hounds crossing river. Went to whin, found 

 ' brace, got away with one over bridge to station. Some 

 ' three couples of hounds took another fox over river 

 ' to Wilstrop on to Harewood Wliin, where we found 

 ' them. Found in whin, away to Rufforth village, through 

 ' farm buildings, away over marshes by Collier Hagg, 

 ' Chapel Hill to Healaugh village, on to Nova Scotia, 

 ' where I think he went to ground in the main earths. 

 ' However, the hounds got on to a stale drag and we 

 ' gave it up. A very good burst, forty-five minutes 

 'without check. Francis Johnstone, Bob Swann, etc., 

 ' were the leading men. If we had killed our fox it 

 ' would have been the best burst of season. Slingsby, 

 ' Sir George Wombwell, and others were out of it I am 

 ' sorry to say. Smith of Aldborough went well and got 

 ' a cropper.' 



Another good day in February must end the extracts 

 from the diary for this season : — 



' Tuesday, February 28th. Nun Appleton. Found in Bridge 

 ' plantation. Took him round of park, and away by 

 ' Appleton, Kilby, Colton Brecks, Brocket Hagg, and killed 

 ' him near Stub Wood. One hour ; good hunt. Went to 

 ' Colton Whin. Just as we got to whin a fox came away, 

 ' pointing for Copmanthorpe. Laid on hounds at once, and 

 ' away over railway througli Copmanthorpe Wood, leaving 

 'Greenland on the right, pointed for Acaster ; left it on 

 ' left to Stub Wood, through it down to river, where he 

 ' was prevented crossing by a barge. However, he doubled 

 ' back into wood, and made his point, and crossed opposite 

 ' Moreby. We went round by Naburn, and came up with 

 ' the hounds at Naburn Wood corner, having killed their 

 * fox. One hour twenty minutes. One of the best days I 



