26 The Hunting Countries of England. 



By good luck their fox took them along the narrow 

 valley of the river Wharf e^ and kept them on smooth 

 meadows for miles^ when a quarter of a mile on either 

 side would have put them on rough_, almost im- 

 practicable ground. Finding at Almscliffe Winn 

 (winn, be it remembered^ being synonymous with the 

 southern term gorse)^ they ran from out of their home 

 country right on to the Moors. Passing Stainburn, 

 Leathley, Farney Hall, Weston^ and Denton Park, 

 they killed their fox beyond Bow Wood Gill, near 

 Middleton Lodge, after a run of an hour and twenty- 

 five minutes and a point of nine and a half miles. 

 The shepherds in this wild region ran down delighted 

 to greet the unaccustomed sight of a pack of hounds 

 in cry. They had been taught to consider the fox 

 their common enemy, to be smoked out, or worried 

 with terriers, whenever he was to be found ; and this 

 run was after a well-known old fox that had escaped 

 them when they slaughtered his mate and cubs. 



Another very long run of the same season (lOJ- 

 mile point) began not far from the same source. On 

 this occasion they found at the Cocked Hat Winn, at 

 Spofforth Haggs, left Spacey House Winn on the 

 left, past Beckwithshaw, through Haverah Park and 

 Hampsthwaite to Swarcliife Hall, where they lost 

 their fox in a strange country — and it is surmised he 

 found refuge in the Craggs. 



The hunting days of the Bramham Moor are 

 Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. The 

 river Wharfe runs across the middle of the country ; 

 and we can make use of it in pointing out approxi- 

 mately how the days are apportioned. 



