THE RULE OF Mr. E. LYCETT GREEN. 227 



and it was a frost. The Ouse was frozen over from 

 Naburn lock to Ripon, and for two months fox-hunters had 

 nothing but ' stable inspection ' with which to occupy them- 

 selves. On one night there were as many as thirty-five 

 degrees of frost. During the eight weeks, four days were 

 stolen, but the ground was never really fit to ride over. 



The long frost made February practically a non-hunting 

 month, but March fully made up for all deficiencies, and it 

 is seldom such a continuance of good sport is seen so late 

 in the season. There was a touch of frost again early in 

 March, and there was no hunting on the 4th and 5th. 

 Then came a lot of excellent sport, of which two days only 

 can be given : — 



' Wednesday, March 6th. Naburn Ferry, at two o'clock. Bitches. 

 ' Scent good on the whole; ground hard in places. Naburn 

 ' Wood blank, Moreby Wood ditto. Found in Parson's 

 ' Wood, a fox slipping away very quick, getting a good 

 ' start of hounds. They ran him hard past Moon's plantation 

 ' and into the Holly Carrs, half way down the covert. Got 

 ' away at the Skipwith end and ran through Common Wood 

 'and Hacking Wood, pointed as if for Harrop's plantation; 

 ' turning to the right, ran straight to Gilberson's Wood ; 

 ' turned to the left, and ran to Wheldrake and Escrick road, 

 'pointing for the former village, hounds going a cracker, 

 ' and no one within fields of them ; after going nearly to 

 ' Wheldrake and York road they came to a check; hit off 

 ' the line to the left, and ran down to the Lacey Bottoms 

 'drain; turned to the right, and hunted over York and 

 ' Wheldrake road, and up to within twenty yards of Whel- 

 ' drake Wood, when the fox jumped up dead beat, and 

 ' hounds pulled him down. Fifty-five minutes ; a good 

 'hunt. Gloomy (1893) doing wonderfully, and throwing 

 ' her tongue well. Wheldrake Wood and Gipsy Corner 

 ' blank.' 



'Tuesday, March 26th. Skip Bridge. Bitches. Scent good. 

 ' Skip Bridge Whin blank. Found in Red House Wood 

 ' and ran through the park, some hounds getting ahead of 

 ' the body. Then ran down to the river and along the 



