112 The Hunting Countries of England. 



nent mark ; and tliere is no covert till Throapham is 

 readied — where is a common and a nice gorse. On tlie 

 far west the river Rother bounds the country — only 

 because beyond it the ground is too hilly and the 

 collieries too frequent, to admit of pleasurable fox- 

 hunting. Other meets on this side are Dinnington 

 for Dinnington Gorse; Barlborough Hall, for some 

 large and good woods of Mr. De Ehodes^ ; Steetley 

 Bar, whence they go to Whitwell Wood (some two 

 thousand acres belonging to the Duke of Portland, 

 and having good grass rides radiating from the centre); 

 Thorpe Salvin, for the covert there ; and, occasionally 

 Harthill, for Norwood (a fine covert of the Duke of 

 Leeds'). 



Friday is on the Lincolnshire side of the Kennels_, in 

 what is always spoken of as The Clays, being a deep 

 clay district between Retford and the Trent. It is 

 only some twelve miles long by seven wide, and hounds 

 often work their way through it all in a day. But 

 Treswell Wood makes it fully able to bear one day 

 every week ; and the other coverts, though only small 

 gorses and thorns, all stand their share. Treswell 

 Wood belongs to Mr. Yernon of Grove Hall, who 

 makes the stronghold so famous that it bears the 

 name of "The Clay Nurseries. ''' It supplies foxes 

 enough for all the country-side ; they are all stub- 

 bred ; but they soon learn to look upon the Wood as 

 their chief refuge, and invariably run thither when 

 found anywhere in the vale. It is about 150 acres in 

 size, and its rides are very deep. Hounds are con- 

 stantly in it, scattering the foxes abroad — from early 

 cubhunting till late spring ; and they meet for it at 



