72 THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE HOUNDS. 



sport. The North Staffordshire country is bounded on the 

 west by the Cheshire and the Shropshire Hunts, and by 

 the Meynell and the Albrighton on the east and south-east. 

 '' Brooksby," in his " Hunting Countries of Great Britain " 

 (p. 255), very accurately describes ^ the general features of 

 the western portion of the North Stafford country from a 

 fox-hunter's point of view in these words : 



"The western edge, from Crewe down to Market Drayton, and as far 

 inwards, say, as Woore, is entirelj' what we are accustomed to look upon as 

 Cheshire type, viz. dairy farms, small inclosures, level ground, deep soil, and fair 

 hedge and ditch fences (sometimes with the hedge set on a low bank). With- 

 out there being any distinction, there is this little difference — in the fences as you 

 ride into North Staffordshire — high farming seems to grow out of fashion, hedges 

 are less neatly kept, and ditches are more seldom cleaned out. But if the hedges 

 are ragged and the ditches are blind, they present no essential change, and the 

 same horse that carries you with the Cheshire or Sir Watkin, should do equally 

 well with the North Staftbrdshire, though both he and his rider may be called 

 upon to exercise discretion and discernment in an even fuller degree with the 

 last named. Most of this district, indeed, belongs to the counties of Chester 

 and Salop, and the same fine scenting grass, the same constant jumping in and 

 out, the same deep soil, the same bursting gallops, and the same large fields of 

 competing horsemen, may be expected to prevail with the North Staffordshire 

 as with the other two packs. A quick, active horse that will take his fences 

 steadily, and that does not easily tire, summarizes briefly what has already been 

 noted at length as a desirable mount for such country. Water is not so frequently 

 offering itself here as over the border, though it is certainly necessary that a horse 

 should be ready to face it. Timber he will not often be called upon to surmount, 

 for the double reason that it is not by any means lavishly used, and that when 

 met with it is easily, and, it may almost be said, usually, avoided in favour of a 

 fence of less obdurate nature. For it must be remembered that a strong post 

 and rails seldom represent here the only possible outlet from a field, as they often 

 do in some other countries, where fences, themselves impracticable, have their 

 gaps mended up with sturdy timber, and this alone gives a chance of escape from 

 an otherwise secure imprisonment. A Cheshire (or North Staffordshire) fence, 

 on the contrary, is seldom unjumpable at all, and generally fairly practicable 

 everywhere. Even if it secures you a fall, it is one of a nature very different, both 

 in present sensation and subsequent afterthought, to the somersault over high 

 rails. The one probably induces only a wholesome contempt and satisfactory 

 increase in the self-confidence that makes a man ride straight for pleasure. The 

 other is likely to be detrimental at the time and harmful in the future, engendering 

 a lively distrust of horseflesh and a dislike of rash experiment that is all against 

 a man's further reputation or enjoyment. Everybody does not put it to himself 

 in this fashion, but a good many act upon a similar course of reasoning, the result 

 being, with most men of experience, that the majority only take timber for 

 choice, when quite assured that they have a timber-jumper under them ; the rest 

 go roxind to avoid it." 



The present writer endorses " Brooksby's " view that 



