64 THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE HOUNDS. 



an exceptional record, and therefore we produce this day's 

 account, which otherwise does not strike one as remarkably 

 good in the way of sport. Whether there was something 

 defective on the part of the earth-stopper, or whether these 

 four foxes were of the half-hearted sort that will go into 

 any drain or i:abbit-hole rather than show sport above 

 ground, does not appear from the huntsman's concise 

 diary. 



" November 30fh, 1877. Doddington. — Found in Chapel Wood. Ran bj' 

 Shaw's Rough to Weston Hall, and thence over the brook to Barthomley and 

 Foxley, and to the right to Mill Dale. There they got up to him and raced him 

 back by Barthomley to Crewe Wood, and then round the Mere, and killed him 

 under the terrace at Crewe Hall." 



This must have been a meritorious gallop, and over 

 an unusual line, the latter part of the run in the Cheshire 

 country. The distance from point to point and the time 

 are not mentioned in Dickins's entry, so that one can only 

 guess at the merits of this run. Dickins was essentially 

 a man of few words, and we find that he often describes 

 a capital day in the shortest possible compass. 



" December 17th, 1877. Weston Hall, Crewe. — Drew Basford Wood blank. 

 AVent on to Wybunbury Bog. Found a good fox. Went away at a great pace 

 by Lea Park, leaving Doddington on the right, as if for Clieckley Wood : left 

 that on his right, past Wrinehill to Heighley Castle, near Madeley, where he was 

 run into. Twenty-five minutes without the least check. Finished the day at 

 Madeley, where we found another fox. 



" January 5th, 1878. Seighford. — Found in one of the Seighford Coverts, 

 Ran to the Moors and away to Eccleshall, and lost. Found a second in Wiucote 

 Wood. Ran at a great pace up to Bishop's Wood, through it and Burnt Wood, 

 Wrinehill, and Madeley Manor. Distance twenty-six miles. Stopped hounds." 



This seems to have been a heavy day for hounds and 

 horses, and apparently there was scarcely a trot left in 

 any of the horses when hounds were whipped off. 



^'■February Sth, 1878, Woore. — Found in the Admiral's Gorse. Ran to 

 Finson's Hay ; a ring back to the gorse, away to Buerton and Golling's Rough, 

 on to Betton ; a ring back to Golling's Rough, and kUled liim. Time one hour 

 and forty minutes, 



" March 15th, 1878. Doddington. — Found in Chapel Wood, Ran as straight 

 as possible right away to Golling's Rough, and on to Betton Moss ; then a ring 

 back round the Highfield Gorse to Buerton and Bellaporte back to Golling's 

 Rough, and killed in the road between Norton-in-Hales and Adderley. Time one 

 hour and fifty minutes." 



