-58 EISTOKY OF THE BKAMHAM MOOR HUNT. 



incorrectly stated in the printed record. It is allowed that 

 hounds run much faster now than they did a hundred years 

 ago, and an average rate of a mile in something like five 

 minutes and a half would take some doing now. It is a 

 little over ten miles an hour, and a ten miles run within the 

 hour, though it has been exceeded, is something to talk about, 

 even in these days of highly-conditioned hounds. Colonel 

 Thornton, at the time this bet was made, was only a young- 

 man, .some twenty-three or twenty-four years of age. 



The next that we hear of Colonel Thornton and his 

 hounds is in connection with another bet. It was, during 

 the last century and until far into the present one, a custom 

 for hounds to join. That is, two neighbouring packs would 

 bring so many couples each out, and the lot would hunt 

 together, or rather in lots, for it seems needless to say that 

 hounds that are strangers to each other never pack properly. 

 But that was a matter of small importance, and sportsmen 

 of a bygone day were very keen about such meetings, and 

 would talk about 'our Trouncer' being first up with great 

 glee. The record in question bears date March 15th, 1783, 

 and is dated from Thornville. It runs to this effect: — 



' The Earl of Effingham and Colonel Thornton agreed to each 

 ' produce twelve couples of hounds to run a match for 

 ' five hundred guineas. The Earl of Effingham to produce 

 ' twelve couples of Confederate hounds ; Colonel Thornton 

 ' to produce twelve couples of his hounds ; to run down a 

 'fox near Wetherby on the 19th of March, 1783. Whichever 

 ' hounds appeared b}' the arbitrators to have the superiority 

 ' shall receive a forfeit. 



{ The Hon. Fredk. Lumley. 

 'Arbitrators - Mr. Thomas Lloyd. 

 \ Mr. Bagley. 



' The run being very short, and not less than three hundred 

 ' people present, it could not be determined.' 



