156 HISTORY OF THE BRAMHAM MOOR HUNT. 



another, and finally were stopped by the darkness. On the 

 following day they had another long and hard day's sport 

 from Bardsey, and were practically running all day, and 

 constantly changing foxes, and they had to go home without 

 blood. They stole a day on January 15th, but again they 

 met with disappointment. There were plenty of foxes, but 

 not scent enough to press them, and they did not get hold 

 of one, though they marked one to ground. They were 

 eventually stopped at dark close to Barker's plantation. 



What hunting man does not remember the dreary time 

 that he experienced in December, 1878, and the two following- 

 months ! Indeed, the season now under review was the 

 most unsatisfactory one that I can remember, and the 

 Bramham Moor hounds were stopped no fewer than thirtv- 

 eight advertised days. From the 7th to the 22nd of 

 February they were kept going, and then came a couple 

 more days of frost. Perhaps the following was the hardest 

 day they had up to the second February frost, though it 

 was a sufficiently disappointing one : — 



'February loth. Woodhall Bridge. Found in the wood near 

 'the house; away to Sicklinghall, turned to the left past 

 ' Clap Gate into the Punch Bowl, turned to the left by the 

 'river-side to Woodhall and Devonshire Whin, changed 

 ' foxes, and lost at Woodhall. Found at Stockeld Park ; 

 'lost. Found, or a fox was viewed, on the Haggs near 

 'the Cocked Hat; away pointing for Parkin's Wood, turned 

 ' to the left to the walls into the Punch Bowl, down to the 

 'river through Woolah Head. Hounds divided; fog was 

 ' thick ; we went with ten couples past Clap Wood to the 

 'walls; came to a check. Good run; one hour. Went 

 'to look for the other hounds. They had crossed the 

 'river, and the huntsman found them at Scarcroft.-" 



It was half way between Woolah and the Punch Bowl 

 that hounds divided, and probably the mischief was due in 

 the first place to a sheep-dog that coursed the fox. Eleven 



