158 THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE HOUNDS. 



was soon seconded by another, and in a minute the whole pack were on 

 him, and such a burning scent there was and so quickly did they pick up his 

 line tliat they were three fields ahead before many had awakened to the fact 

 that they were off, and were in consequence left behind. One hundred horse- 

 men at the find ; nine of them saw the end. His first point seemed to be 

 towards Parkfields, thence to Woolfall Hall, Woolfall, and Birchall Moss. He 

 then struck his line between the Broomlands and Hankelow Hall ; leaving the 

 new Hatherton Covert to the right, he crossed the river Weaver at Austerson, 

 lea^^ng Batherton Mill to the right, on to Shrewbridge, near Nantwich. Here 

 occurred the first check, time thirty-eight minutes, the hounds running the whole 

 time, the only difficulty being to keep them in sight. This must be considered 

 an extraordinary and brilliant run, being a nine-miles point, and occurring as it 

 did on the opening day, when foxhounds, horse, or man, are not supposed to be 

 prepared for such exertion. At Shrewbridge he realized the fact that if he went 

 straight he would lose his brush, so he tried the dodging trick, and thus saved 

 his life. He well deserved it, as a stouter or straighter fox never broke covert. 

 The hounds were taken back to Buerton Gorse, when a fox stole away without 

 being noticed, and when the hounds were put on the line the scent was cold. 

 We left them running slowly towards Highfields. — Pixk. — The company included 

 Sir George Chetwode, Bart., Lady Boughey, Mr. E. Corbet (Master of the South 

 Cheshire), Colonel Godson, Mr. K. Corbet, jun., Mr, Shakerley, Mr. Crosse, Messrs. 

 Boote, Mr, and Mrs. E. A. Ridgway, Mr. Dobson, INIr. W. Hollins, the Misses 

 Hollins, Mr. Pi, N, Wood, Mr. Kellock, jun., Mr, Greaves, Major Armstrong, 

 Mr. Parkinson, Mr, Joseph Peake, Captain Fife, Colonel Johnson, Mr. Antrobus 

 (Crewe), Mr, Kierton, Mr. Venables, Major Templeton, Mr, Rj-lands, Mr, Whaley, 

 Mr, P. Jackson, Mr. T. B. Stevens (Market Dra3'ton), Mr. Wicherley (the 

 Brand), Mr. E. Elliott (Nantwich), Mr. Watmore, Captain Jamieson, Mr. Brereton, 

 Mr. Allmark, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Carter, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. James, etc. 



We give some of the best days as recorded in Dickins's 

 diary : 



" November 19th, 1888. D ' >dding Urn. —Foimd a good fox in Chapel 

 Wood. Ran over the Park to Shaw's Rough, through it and on to Checkley 

 Wood, and on to Wrinehill, on over Barr Hill to the Bitterns and Redwood, up 

 to Maer Hills, and killed him at Camp Hill. Thirty minutes fast. Went to 

 Finson's Hay; found and ran up to Onneley, and lost him. No scent, late in 

 the day. 



" December 5th, 1888. StoJce-by- Stone.— Found in Orange Hayes. Ran to Cot- 

 walton and the Hayes to ground. So on to Moddershall. Found. Ran a ring 

 to the gorse and back to covert, and killed him. Got on another. Ran to Black 

 Lake, Grange Wood, Stallington Gorse, and on to the Sprinks and Saverley 

 Green, to ground in a gentleman's garden in a drain. 



" December 1th, 1888. Walton Hall. — Found in Walton Gorse, Ran to Cheb- 

 sey Rough, and killed. Drew Yeld's Rough blank ; found a second in Shallowford 

 Gorse. Ran a fost ten minutes, and killed. Found again in the New Gorse at 

 Cold Norton. Ran to Darlaston Wood, Tittensor, and Swynnerton, roimd by 

 Yarnfield and back to Cold Norton and Darlaston, to ground in a drain in the 

 Park. One hour five minutes. 



" December 2Uh, 1888. Sherratt's Wood. — Found in Sherratt's Wood. Ran as 

 if for Draycot, but turned to the right as if for Leigh, and away to ChartleyPark ; 

 ran a ring in the park, and on over the railway, and killed him about a mile past 



