THE NORTH DURHM^ COUNTRY. 37 



just named — as they did nearly every Monday when hunting 

 the northern part of the country — and Dowdeswell, after five 

 or ten minutes' law, moved up the lane, intending to draw 

 the Freehold, and if he did not find there to go on to Rippon 

 Burn. Neither of the Masters was present, and the hunts- 

 man had not gone a quarter of a mile when he was suddenly 

 ordei'ed to stop. What had happened was that a dispute had 

 arisen between three magnates of the hunt, each of whom 

 wanted some of his own coverts drawn, and it was not until 

 hounds had moved off that they realised the pack were being 

 taken to coverts owned by a fourth party, who did not hunt 

 but was a fine fox preserver. I have explained that 

 Browney Bank is handy for a whole string of coverts, but 

 unless any special arrangements had been made it was cus- 

 tomary to draw the Woodlands coverts first, and in this par- 

 ticular case Dowdeswell had orders from Mr. Henderson to 

 carry out the usual programme. But one member wanted 

 the Triangle and Stobilee drawn; another wanted hounds to 

 go to Butsfield, of which he had the shooting; and the third 

 was most anxious for hounds to be taken to Stockerley Gill, 

 and thence to the coverts near his home. Each of the three 

 claimed that it was his turn, and Dowdeswell was assailed 

 with a number of direct orders. There was a big field, who, 

 I seem to remember, rather enjoyed the row, for the rivalry 

 as to finds between these squires was rather pronounced at the 

 time; but poor Dowdeswell was very much upset, and, after 

 a time, he burst into tears, and, telling the whippers-in to 

 look after the hounds, started to ride away, having stated in 

 a broken voice that he was going home to send in his resigna- 

 tion. Meantime the quairel was fast and furious, and there 

 was talk of pistols for two or three couples at least, and so 

 forth, and what might have happened one cannot say, but a 

 deus ex machina in the person of a late comer appeared at a 

 gallop, and announced that a fox had just crossed Long Edge 

 a few hundred yards away. The huntsman was now out of 

 sight, but the whips, without waiting for orders, galloped 

 hounds to the spot, hit off the line, and, as luck would have 

 it, fox and hounds almost crossed the huntsman — now more 

 than a mile away — on his road home. The determination to 

 resign was quickly forgotten, for Dowdeswell instantly joined 



