THE NORTH DURHAM COUNTRY. 33 



done at a rattling pace, and it is impressed on my memory 

 because Mr. Maynard had never been at Iveston Gill before, 

 and, in fact, did not know of its existence. When the then 

 Master took the North Durham he had just come into the 

 country from Yorkshire, and though at the time of this run he 

 had been Master for three or four seasons, he had never seen 

 Iveston Gill, which is rather hidden in a fold of the hills. But 

 after this fine hunt I was asked to look after the covert, which 

 is only a little, neglected -looking place, and I found that its 

 ownership was disputed, that two adjoining farmers claimed 

 the eatage, and that anyone and everyone went intoi the covert 

 as they liked. It held foxes because of an impenetrable whin 

 in part of it, and I quickly discovered that a cottager who lived 

 not far off was in the habit of waiting for the foxes with a gun, 

 and sending those he shot to b© stuffed. The place was what 

 Surtei^ called " extra parochial," and is of small account in 

 the doings of the hunt, though foxes gO' there, on account of 

 the pitfalls, which are very difficult to " stop." East of 

 Greencroft there is a very good covert called Bunihope, and 

 near it Gee's Whin, which was burnt not long ago, but is 

 growing up again. 



Ati one time thig waa about the thickest gorse I ever 

 saw, and Mr. Rogerson used always to go in on foot 

 when he drew it, while " night sliift " miners who had come 

 to see a hunt would help him. Even then it was a most diffi- 

 cult matter to get a fox to leave, for the whin is at least ten 

 acres, and there are no rides or open spaces. Gee's Whin is 

 at the top of the hill, and on the eastern side of this hill there 

 is a long chain of coverts, many of which are OAvned by Lord 

 Durham. These extend from Burnhope to Sacriston, and 

 though they are for the most part in a long, narrow, wooded 

 ravine, there are certain spurs, such as Taylor's Plantation. 

 The whole form a fine chain of coverts, from which many foxes 

 are found ; but Sacriston Wood, at the south-eastern end of 

 the chain, is the great &tronghold, and the foxes bred there' — 

 which are looked after by Colonel Blackett, of Acorn Close — 

 afford a supply for quite a big neighbourhood. There is, too, 

 a covert named The Hag, a little east of Nursingfield Gill, 

 and in my early days hunting men used to talk ol the best run 

 of many years having ended there. This hunt took place in 



D 



