216 The Hunting Countries of England. 



their beds cut so deep and their banks so worn and 

 rotten from the rushing of frequent torrents from the 

 hills, that in many instances (such as that of the Costa 

 Beck) it is almost impossible for a horse to get in and 

 out of them. 



Capt. Johnstone hunts two days a week — Tuesday 

 being generally for the Pickering side of the country, 

 Saturday for the Scarborough. The latter day, except 

 when given to the extreme wilds of Jingleby Thorn, 

 &c., draws the larger field (sometimes close upon a 

 hundred) ; the former getting together a small 

 gathering from The Sinnington, Malton, &c., to 

 assist the local Hunt. 



Among the Tuesday meets are Howe Bridge — or 

 Newstead Grange — for Marishes Winn and a new 

 covert at Howe Bridge. With open vale stretching 

 up past Pickering and to the west these two fixtures 

 are looked upon as almost the best in the Hunt ; and 

 from the Marishes last season there ensued one of 

 their most notable day^s sport, commencing with a 

 very fast hour and twenty minutes northward with a 

 kill, followed by another forty minutes with a similar 

 result. A second draw from Howe Bridge may be 

 Wintofts, where a new covert has been planted by 

 Mr. Mitch elson. Meeting at Thornton Dale, they 

 work over the rabbit warrens and up the dale past 

 Ellerburn, whence foxes are pretty sure to run over 

 the moors. Last winter hounds ran into each of the 

 four foxes they found, after a hunt over the moorland. 

 For the extensive fastness of Newton Dale one meet is 

 Farwath ; others are Levisham and Salterns Grate — 

 the country round getting rougher and rougher as we 



