THE BRAES OF DERWENT COUNTRY. 55 



the places just named. On the other hand, I have seen the 

 Tynedale draw Minsteracres frequently, even during Mr, 

 Straker's mastership, but not since Mr. Priestman took 

 the Braes of Derwent. I have also seen the present 

 Master of the Tynedale draw the Whin covert at Birkenside, 

 which is actually in the Derwent Valley, and I have seen the 

 Tynedale run to Broadoak, which is on the Derwent, a couple 

 of miles east of the Ebchester to Riding Mill-road. 



But leaving the boundary question for a moment, I must 

 mention that for several seasons, in the late 'forties and early 

 'fifties, my father, the late Mr. J. B. Richardson, 

 had a pack of foxhounds which were kennelled at 

 Castleside, a mile south of Allansford, and which 

 for some years had sport which \aried a good deaJ 

 but was at times brilliant. The pack, which never exceeded 

 fifteen and was more often only twelve couples, was — curiously 

 enough — first got together for the purpose of hunting wild roc- 

 deer, which were then exceedingly numerous at the Sneep, 

 Lord Bute's plantations and other big coverts in the Derwent 

 Valley, and also on the Woodlands Estate, which, as the crow 

 flies, is only two miles from Lord Bute's and about four 

 from the Sneep. Deer used to' travel between these various 

 strongholds constantly, and there is still an odd one left, 

 capable of giving a good deal of trouble when hounds take 

 up his line in a big woodland. It was decided then that these 

 deer should be hunted, and the Duke of Cleveland, with whose 

 hounds Mr. Richardson frequently hunted, gave a draft of five 

 or six couples, which was supplemented by odd couples from 

 other kennels. But the deer received very little attention. 

 They were difficult to find, and foxes were numerous, and it 

 quickly became the custom to hunt the foxes and leave the 

 deer to be shot. The hunt was a very private one; it never 

 advertised, and had no very regular hunting days, because its 

 chief supporters were hunting with other packs, while a good 

 many of them were engaged in business. Besides Mr. 

 Richardson, the late Colonel Hawkes, Mr. G. Hopper Burnett 

 of Black Hedley, and the Bros. " Tom " and John Ramsay, 

 were the most regular followers, and Mr. Surtees, the creator 

 of Jorrooks, used to look on, mounted on a cob, but seldom 

 took part in a run. Then there was a Yorkshireman named 



