228 THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE HOUNDS. 



style, after three hours and a lialf hard hunting. We had a nice hunt with our 

 fox from Brindley's Wood to Hose Wood. Here I think we changed foxes ; 

 but all the same hounds kept hunting on, and from here we had a fine run to 

 Black Lake and Stallington Heath, Schoolhouse Wood being our furthest point ; 

 then turning back and going over the same line of country we had come, nearly 

 to the New Gorse at Draycot, and through Hose Wood. At this time, out of a 

 large field there were only myself and IMr. Dobson struggling on. Hounds stuck 

 to their fox, and killed him in the open. A good liunt all through, three hours 

 and a half. 



" March 2dth, 1899. Muchhstone. — Drew the laurels at Oakley blank. Found 

 and killed at Bellaport. Found in the Canridden. Had a nice little gallop, and 

 ran him to ground near Woore Hall. Bolted a fox out of the made earth near 

 the Canridden. Had a sharp burst, and beat us not far away. Found in Buerton 

 Gorse — one I put down two years ago. Had a very good run by Adderley 

 Gorse, Kynsall nearly to Buerton Gorse ; then back to Kynsall and killed. 

 Found in Golling's Rough. Had a very good thirty minutes, and ran to ground 

 near to Golling's Rough. A good day. This was our best day's sport of the 

 season on the Woore side. There was a good scent. 



'■'■April Ath, 1899. Charnes Hall. — Drew Cbarnes blank. Found a brace in 

 the Bromley Coverts, and ran them both to ground. Drew the hilly part of 

 Bishop's Woods, Sugnall, Wincote Wood, and Walton Gorse blank. Found 

 a very good fox at Badenhall, and had a good run, one hour and twenty minutes, 

 by Hilcote Wood nearly to Chebsey, back by Hilcote Hall, over the river to 

 Eccleshall ; then by Acton Hill and Walton Hurst to Ranton Woods, in the 

 Albrighton country, and, owing to darkness, we gave him up at Seighford. 

 Owing to not having the earths stopped at Bromley, the foxes soon slipped in. 

 The run from Badenhall came a little too late in the day. It was a very nice 

 hunt, this making my hundred and sixth day this season, and not missed one 

 day's hunting, but should have liked the hounds to have rolled this fox over. It 

 would have been nearly the run of the season." 



This was the concluding day of the season of 1898-99, 

 and much above the average April closing day. Record : 

 seventy-eight foxes killed, fifty-nine run to ground, a 

 hundred and six days' hunting altogether. Subscriptions 

 amounted to £2390. The Poultry and Covert Fund 

 absorbed £453, and nearly £600 were spent in removing 

 wire and laying down about nine miles of fences on fifty- 

 one farms, but the bulk of this was done at the expense of 

 the Duke of Sutherland. 



