234 HISTORY OF THE YORK AND AINSTY HUNT. 



very large field ; indeed, at that time, for some unexplained 

 reason, Melbourne Hall did not find favour with the 

 majority of the York and Ainsty men, — but still it was a 

 fairly representative one, and the numbers were swelled by 

 a few good men and true from the Holderness country, 

 amongst whom was David Dalby, the first whipper-in. 

 Mr. Lycett Green first proceeded to draw the Brickyard 

 Plantation, having sent Gray on in the meantime to crack 

 some big hedgerows. The plantation was drawn blank, and 

 hounds were beinsf taken to draw down one of the big 

 hedgerows in the neighbourhood, when Gray came galloping 

 up with intelligence. He had seen a fo.x; wandering about 

 in the fields about half a mile away, and evidently quite 

 contented with himself and the world at large, to judge from 

 his leisurely movements. At first Gray took him for a dog, 

 so big was he, and he rightly thought that it would be a pity 

 to disturb his equanimity sooner than was absolutely necessary. 

 Mr. Lycett Green trotted on sharply to the place where Gray 

 had seen the fox, and the moment hounds crossed the line 

 they flew together with that ' angry ' cry which means so 

 much to the experienced ear. What a rush there was for 

 the first fence ! for everyone seemed intuitively to know that 

 there was a great run toward. No time to look out for the 

 thin place in the corner ; the man who hesitated for half a 

 moment was lost literally, and saw hounds no more. For a 

 field or two hounds pointed tor Laytham Whin, which they 

 left a couple of fields to the left, and then bearing to the 

 right they crossed the Laytham road to the right of Laytham 

 village. A straight-necked fox was before them, and though 

 he was running up wind all the time, he kept to the middle 

 of the fields and never skirted hedgerow or turned from his 

 point. Scant time was there to open gates, and few gates 

 were there to open, as hounds streamed along over the big 

 wild pastures by Aughton Ruddings and Harlthorpe, which 



