SUGNALL AND MODDERSHALL. 127 



away to Pireliill, run quickly through Black Planting, down to the high-road to 

 Stafford, where he is headed ; back again almost to the covert, as if he means to 

 go to Shallowford again, then across the Eccleshall road, and straight to the 

 North Stafford Railway. Here he must have run some way down the rails, for 

 the hounds follow him, to the intense anxiety of all, for of course a train is 

 coming. One man gallops back to stop it, and Boxall leaves his horse and 

 runs along the line, gesticulating to the engine-driver and whipping hounds off. 

 Fortunately, no harm is done, and when the train is past they pick up the 

 scent, and take the fox to the Darlaston gates. He doubles back ; they catch 

 sight of him, and in another moment the record is completed. 



" 0. T." 



This is Dickins's account of the day : 



" Sugnall. — Found in the osiers a brace. Ran one fast up to Croxton, to 

 ground under a ' rack.' Then drew Wincote, Hilcote, and Yeld's Rough blank, 

 but found at Shallowford Gorse. Ran fast as if for Yarnfield, to the right to 

 Pirehill Plantation, down to Aston, then to the left over the railway near Stone, 

 and killed him at Darlaston. 



" February Gth, 1884. ModdersJiall Mill.— Fonndi in the oaks. Ran up to Spot 

 and on to Hilderstone, to ground under a road ; bolted, and ran him up to 

 Ilardiwick Heath and killed. Found a second in New Close Sprink. Ran out by 

 the Bljihe and up to Stallington Hall, on through Black Lake to Barlaston, up 

 to Cocknage Wood, and killed him at Blurton." 



The writer's diary account of this day's sport is — 



" Hunting at Moddershall, found first fox at Moddershall Oaks. Ran by Hill's 

 Nursery near Vernon's Gorse to Hilderstone village, and to ground in drain in 

 front of the hall ; bolted him, and killed him in the village. Found second fox at 

 New Close Sprink; grand gallop by Cresswell and Stallington Hall to Black 

 Lake, Hartwell, and Cocknage ; killed near Florence and Dresden. Lost shoe, 

 and left off at Rough Close. Well carried by Victor." 



" March 5t\, 1884. Croxden Abbey. — Found at once in Chipperlee. Ran as 

 if for Woodseat to the left nearly to Alton Towers, came round to the left, ran 

 through Lord's Coppice and over Winnoth Dale up to HoUington, and into one 

 end of Heath House Drumble and back to HoUington, and killed a fox with no 

 brush. Did not find again." 



The writer was out, and remembers viewing this bob- 

 tailed fox as he broke covert at Chipperlee, so it is clear we 

 did not change foxes. This was a fair sporting gallop of 

 an hour and twenty-five minutes, as timed by the present 

 writer and entered in his diary. 



From the Staffordshire Advertiser, March 15th, 1884 : 



THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE HOUNDS. 



This pack met on Monday at Woore, but owing to the snow which had 

 fallen during the early hours of the morning, hunting was not deemed practicable 

 until half-past twelve. At that hour the hounds were put into a cover opposite 

 the Canridden, known as the Harrows, and a fox was immediately on foot. At 



