DILHORN AND BARLASTON RUNS. 35 



be expected hounds would be heard many yards off. After the preliminaries in 

 the shape of hospitality had been indulged quantum, siiff., the pack was trotted 

 off and thrown into the large covers lying at a little distance in front of the hall. 

 A blank is never now thought of at Dilhorn, and although the garaest fox might 

 have been excused for seeking shelter from the howling blasts of the preceding 

 night, ' Mr. Keynolds ' was there to receive his friends. We were soon at work 

 in cover, but not so soon out of it, for he took a long time to make up his mind 

 whether it would be safe to trust himself in the open under the howling of such 

 a pitiless sky. At last, however, he stole away, before half the field were aware 

 what had happened, setting his head for Consall Woods, but he soon found that 

 a fearful ' nor-wester ' hit him plump in the chops, and he tacked about to the 

 right and ran the whole range of what is called the 'Above Park Quarter ' of the 

 parish of Cheadle, passing over the Hazlewall and Booth Hall farms, and then 

 entered Kingsley parish, visiting the preserves of Mr. Beech, of the Shawe, pass- 

 ing on by Broad Hay and Lockwood to Woodhead and Woodhouse, where he 

 might have dropped into the Chumet Valley and found plenty of shelter, but 

 he bore away to the right untU we reached a high ridge of land to the east of 

 Cheadle, kno^vn as the High Shutt, where a magnificent view opened upon our 

 sight of Alton Towers in the distance, the princely abode of the Earls of 

 Shrewsbury. Of course the Alton covers were too tempting to be altogether 

 passed by, and after a good deal of hard and heavy riding, we were evidently in 

 for a little cover hunting, but still 'forward ' was the cry, and on we swept o'er 

 hill and dale until we breasted the Oakamoor Hills. Here an adventure well- 

 nigh befell ' Mr. Reynolds,' which happily very few knew anything about. He 

 was viewed by an unlucky wight, whose name it might not be safe (for him) to 

 mention, when, without time for a second thought, he popped into his cottage, 

 brought down a gun, and actually let fly a charge of shot at him, but luckily 

 without any very serious effect, for, to the fellow's great astonishment, in a few 

 minutes after this base attempt on a game and gallant animal the hounds were 

 heard in full cry in front of Oakamoor Lodge. Whether he lost time in trying 

 to extract some of the shot is not known, but the hounds were soon close up to 

 his quarters, an \ after running him very hard for several miles further, he went 

 to ground near the Churnet Valley, with the gallant pack close to his brush." 



From the Staffordshire Advertiser, December 26th, 

 1857 : 



" On Thursday, the 17th inst., the Hunt met at Barlaston Hall, where, after 

 partaking of a liberal spread by the worthy host, they went to work, and sure 

 enough it proved work in earnest. They first drew Barlaston Wood, then New- 

 park Gorse, where Reynard was found. He went away to Barlaston village, 

 running a ring to the Downs Banks, thence to Oulton, where he doubled back to 

 Barlaston ; then, retracing his steps, ran to Moddershall Oaks, where he would 

 not dwell ; going straight through, he left it with the hounds about two hundred 

 yards from his brush. Here the pace became very severe, casualties very 

 common, and plenty of horses were soon to let. He then ran through Spot 

 Gorse, pointing for Draycot ; leaving Hilderstone to the right and Oulton Hall to 

 the left, ran direct for Sandon Woods, but, being pressed, got into Hardiwick 

 Heath. Three times he tried on the double in this covert, but the hounds had 

 got on too good terras with him to part company. He then tried Orange Hayes, 

 hut with no better success, having to leave it as quickly as he entered, doubling 



