The Morpeth. 455 



and plough in the east to rough moor on the west. 

 All the country carries a steady, seldom a flying, 

 scent; and the foxes are of the stout hill-bred sort 

 common to Northumberland generally. It may be 

 noted of the hills and moors respectively that a scent 

 is generally to be found on the former when damp 

 from recent rain ; but w^hen the rocky surface is dry 

 hounds have much difficulty. The moorlands, on 

 the other hand, being more consistently wet, seldom 

 fail to hold a workable scent. A fox found in the 

 immediate neighbourhood of the hills is pretty sure to 

 strike upward at first, run the upper ground for a 

 time, and come down again as he feels himself 

 getting distressed. Thus, when a whin on a hillside 

 is to be drawn, men generally post themselves above 

 to view the fox away and to be in a position to follow 

 him. A start being effected, they will then spread 

 out — assisting each other by voice and signal to 

 keep the chase in view as it winds along the ridges 

 and twisting slopes. 



Mr. Cookson not only finds foxes in fair numbers ; 

 but has the reputation of being able to kill them quite as 

 readily as his neighbours — his score being more than 

 up to the average for two days a week. His pack are 

 excellent workers, and well in hand. His Kennels 

 are at Newminster, near Morpeth; and he himself 

 lives with his father at Melton Park on the 

 Wansbeck. 



As with Lord Percy^s country, the Morpeth runs 

 down from north to south in strips that differ con- 

 siderably one from the other. The Morpetn must 

 be divided into three, to give any idea of its com- 



