46 The Hunting Countries of England. 



for six years, and in that time did wonders for the 

 kennel. Previous to the latter,, Mr. Lascelles was 

 Master for one year, Sir George Wombwell for three, 

 and Sir Charles Slingsby (whose mournful death still 

 remains vividly in the mind of most hunting-men) for 

 fifteen. Mr. Samuel Bateman, whose nine years of 

 Mastership terminated nearly thirty years ago, and 

 who is now in his seventieth year, is still an active 

 and honoured member of the Hunt. 



The Pack was founded some forty years ago ; Sir 

 Charles Slingsby filled it with the Grove, Brocklesby, 

 and Lord Portsmouth's blood ; and Col. Fairfax, who 

 was one of the first to recognise the merits of the 

 Belvoir Fallible, brought a large infusion of blood 

 from that Kennel through the medium of breeding 

 and drafts. The fact that the Hunt is able to send 

 forty to fifty couple annually out to walk, is not only 

 an immense advantage, but speaks volumes for the 

 good feeling of the farmers. 



The York and Ainsty country is a deep clay soil 

 throughout, with scanty exception in the north (about 

 Alne and upwards) and in the extreme west where 

 fox hunting and railway communication find a 

 terminus on hilly moorland. And it is only in this 

 last wide corner that anything approaching a hill is 

 to be found. Scarcely anywhere else till Knares- 

 borough is reached is there even an undulation ; 

 while all round York is a dead flat. The whole of 

 it, too, except this trifle of western moorland and a 

 few riverside meadows, is under the plough. The 

 fences are fair hedge-and-ditch, rendered difficult 

 only by the stiff holding clay through which you 



