146 THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE HOUNDS. 



occurred, but after a time they hit off the line again by Old Springs to the Spoil 

 Bank. Here our fox must have laid down, for after a short check he was hallooed 

 behind us making for Peatswood, and running him by there they caught him in 

 Johnson's Wood. During this time the Shropshire had been running a fox from 

 Stoke Heath across the canal, through Chipnall Wood by Hales, and then back 

 towards Peatswood, just at the same time as we were running our fox from 

 Peatswood to Johnson's Wood. About a mile from Johnson's Wood both packs 

 got on the same line, the Shropshire about two fields behind ours, and joining, 

 killed the fox together. Either their fox or ours was seen creeping away from 

 Johnson's Wood while the killed one was being broken up. We had been 

 running about two hours, sometimes very prettily. 



" December 13th, 1886. Norton-in- Hales. — Found in Brown Hills. After a 

 little dela}', got him away for GoUing's Rough, passing by the left of this covert 

 and by the left of Buerton Gorse, and so to ground in a field near Buerton Wind- 

 mill. The first twenty-five minutes as good as could be wished. Time from 

 find to marking to gi'ound, fifty minutes. Went back to Corbet's Gorse, found 

 and ran to Betton, where scent completely failed. Went back to Golling's 

 Rough, found again, and ran in a ring back to Betton, where scent failed 

 again." 



Soon after the 13th a hard frost set in, and hunting 

 was stopped for the rest of the month and for the first 

 three weeks of January, 1887, so that there is nothing to 

 record until the 24th. 



" Jamiary 24:th, 1887. The Kennels. — Found at Clayton. Ran a fast ring by 

 Butterton and Cliff's Rough, and back to ground in a drain at Clayton. Left men 

 to dig, and got him out and killed on the way home. Found again at Keele. Ran 

 him fast by Keele Hall and Bentilee to Madeley and killed. Found again in 

 Hay Sprink. Ran through Whitmore Wood and common and back to Keele, 

 where they lost. 



^^ Jamiary 28th. Cressvjell Hall. — Found a fox. Ran him across six fields 

 and killed him. Found again in Shallowford Gorse. Fast fifteen minutes, and to 

 ground near Cresswell. Drew Yeld's Rough and Chebsey blank. Found in Walton 

 Gorse. Ran by CaiT House to Wincote Wood, on to Garmelow and back to 

 Wincote, and thence by Eccleshall and Walton to Chebsey, and after a ring 

 round by Yeld's Rough and Norton Bridge Station, lost in a lane at Chebsey 

 village. Time, one hour and forty minutes. 



^^ January 3lst. Wuore. — Found in Canriddeu. Ran by Mill Hay and 

 Finson's tlay to Barr Hill and on to Wrinehill, where they lost. Found again 

 in Heathcote's Gorse. Ran fast to Mill Hay and Harrow's Wood and back by 

 Heathcote's Gorse to Barr Hill and on to the Bitterns. Thence he took them a 

 ring over Barr Hill and back to the Bitterns, where the fox got up a tree half 

 blown over. Dickins sent a man up, and got him down and killed. Time, one 

 hour and five minutes. 



" February 27id. Sandon. — Drew Sandon Wood blank, but found in Top 

 Covert. Ran by Shaw's Wood and on for Hilderstone, turned to the right nearly 

 to Fradswell, thence to the right again, and back to Sandon, where they killed 

 him near the Hall. Capital forty minutes. Found again on Hardiwick Heath. 

 Ran by Orange Hayes and to Sandon, and lost. 



