128 THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE HOUNDS. 



a capital pace he made away in the direction of Buerton Windmill, but before he 

 liad gone very far he bore to the left, crossed the high-road, and, having run half 

 a circle, Avent through the Canridden on to Bellaport, through Bellaport Wood. 

 Tie then headed for Pipe Gate, but soon retraced his steps and went back into the 

 Canridden, and was slowly hunted to between Hankelow and Doddington, being 

 eventually lost near to the last-named place after a fine spin of about an hour and 

 a quarter. The field then trotted to Admiral's Gorse, where another good fox was 

 found. Leaving Woore to the right, Reynard crossed over the London and 

 North-Western Railway, and then ran some four to five miles, ultimately getting 

 on to the Maer hills, where the hounds were stopped, the afternoon being well 

 advanced. The duration of this run was forty minutes. 



The following account of a good clay's sport at Dodding- 

 ton, on Monday, March 17th, is also from the Stqffonlshiiv 

 Advertiser of March 22nd : — 



NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE HOUNDS. 

 Doddington, Monday. — 



" What a fine hunting day ! 'Tis as balmy as May, 



And the hounds to the village will come. 

 Every friend will be there, and all trouble and care 



Will be left far behind tliem at home. 

 See servants and steeds on their way, 



And sportsmen their scarlet display. 

 Let us join the glad throng that goes laughing along, 



And all go a-bunting to-day." 



The fields generally with this pack cannot be considered large, as the fixtures 

 are private, but whether arising from the pleasant weather, or from the fact that 

 at this drawing to a close of the hunting season there are always more strangers 

 out, the field on this occasion was unusually large ; there were several masters of 

 foxhounds, including the deservedly respected and truly popular Master of these 

 hounds. Doddington Hall is nicely situated in the midst of a well-timbered park 

 with a nice sheet of water adjoining, on which the wildfowl, if jou may judge 

 from appearances, seem quite at home, with the red and fallow deer looking on 

 at a distance. Altogether this seems the very place for a meet of foxhounds, and 

 formed a pleasing and picturesque scene. The Chapel Wood was drawn first, 

 when a fox was found and ran two or three rings, was concluded a vixen, and the 

 hounds were ordered to Shaw Rough without success. Checkley Wood was more 

 generous, and the fox led us through Wrinehill Woods, when the greater part of 

 the field was left behind, the hounds having gone away on the other side, and 

 were not seen until they had crossed the London and North-Western Railway 

 and appeared on the opposite hill. It happened that there was a friendly bridge 

 near known to a few, and we were soon with them, but had no sooner gained the 

 hounds than we lost the fox, for he went to earth at Madeley Manor. Another 

 covert was then drawn, when a fox was on foot, but he also disappeared under- 

 ground. The next draw was Captain Heathcote's Gorse. Our friend of the 

 previous Monday was there ! An account of this run appeared in the Advertiser 

 of Saturday. He broke on the side towards Woore, the field being on the other 

 side. A disagi'eeable dingle had to be crossed, which caused some delay and 



