THE NORTH DURHAM COUNTRY. 39 



to send out to the farm. I have said that the Wolsingham 

 haiTiers and the Durham beagles kept us going when the fox- 

 hounds were at the other side of the coaintry, but during 

 tlie particular season I have in mind Colonel Hawkes and 

 Mr. Fred Lamb were joint Masters of the Newcastle and 

 Gateshead harriers, and on at least three occasions these 

 hounds were brought to High Wocdside Farm overnight and 

 were often kept for a second day. High Woodside is situated 

 in a delectable hare hunting country about two and a half 

 miles east of Lanohester, and hounds would meet there one 

 day, and at Newbiggen or Harbuck on the next, and betwei-n 

 the two hunts there would be a gathering of the clans at 

 Woodside Farm, and much festivity. The farmer was oae 

 of the right sort, and the bast singer of " A southerly wind 

 and a cloudy sky " I ever heard, and in order that his hos- 

 pitality should not be too severely taxed, it was customary to 

 send him a hamper of wine, and another of game, and so forth 

 when he was threatened with a supper visitation. The joint 

 Masters of the pack and other congenial spirits would be 

 located at some of the neighbouring houses, but they all met 

 at Woodside Farm about seven o'clock for a sort of picnic 

 dinner — ^which always ended with songs and toasts. 



For some seasons the Durham County were a four days 

 a week pack, but this was in the middle of the last century. 

 I do not think they ever advertised four days in my recol- 

 lection, though at times bye days were frequent. Mondays 

 was for the west of the country, and three days out of four 

 the meet was at Browney Bank. Wednesday meets were 

 always on the east side of the Wear, about the coast from 

 Silks worth to Castle Eden, and round about Shadforth and 

 Elemore, and Friday was in the centre of the hunt, but almost 

 invariably on the north side of the river Wear. The Brance- 

 peth country was hunted on Fridays as a rule, and the country 

 about Red House Gill and north as far as Lambton, and also 

 the country round Sacriston and Hclmside. Lanchester was 

 a Monday meet, but the first draw was the long-defunct whin 

 at Boggle Hole, and if that failed hounds were generally 

 taken westwards. Witton Gilbert, only four miles from 

 Durham, was at times a Monday meet, and would be adver- 

 tised with the addition of " for Hill Top," and this meant 



