142 HUNTING IN MANY COUNTRIES. 



tlirough the park, and on by Clock Mill almott to Kirkharle. 

 Stiil going north they cros&ed tie Morpeth boundaiy, bat 

 gradually turning right-handed came back into- the Tynedale 

 country and put their fox to ground at Shaltoci Craggs. I 

 made the point eight miles, and the full length of the run 

 between seventeen and eighteen miles, while the tim.« was O'ue 

 hour and three-quarters. The local paper had an account of 

 the hunt which gave the full distance as twenty-three miles, 

 but this was obviously wrong, it being impossible for a run 

 of that distance to^ take less than so^mei period over twO' hours. 

 Ten miles an hour is a, great pace for a hunt of any length, 

 and in this particular hunt it will be seen the pace was even 

 a little faster, and was maintained for an hour and three- 

 quarters. And a propos this hunt I may mention that I came 

 from Shotley with, the Master of the Braes of Derwent., and 

 with US was a youngster who had just got a commission in the 

 Special Reserve', and whoi had never been in the Tynedale 

 country before. He got almost to the end of the hunt, which 

 is perhaps not very wonderful, but the night was one of tiie 

 blackest I can remember, and he found his way from some 

 point between Capheaton and Kirkharle to the Stelling — 

 where our motor-car had been left' — and had been there for 

 half an hour when I arrived. It would be almost dark when 

 he left Capheaton, and he had no one with him, and thosfl 

 who know the countiry will understand how easily one can go 

 wrong, in extreme darkness such as there was that night, 

 between Capheaton and Ingoe. This youngstier was one of the 

 only two oflicers of his regiment who survived the retreat^ from 

 Mons, but he was killed in the spring of 1917. 



Without doubt the Matfen coverts are a great stand-by for 

 the west, centre of the Tynedale country, and east of them is 

 the Stamfordham district, which will be referred to when the 

 Friday country is discussed. Going north from Whittiugton 

 the next good covert is Fairspring, which lies to the west of 

 the Moot Law, and beyond and quite close is the village of 

 Hallington, where hounds often meet. The Moot Law is a 

 grass farm of 1100 acres, with, according to' my recollection, 

 not a tree on it, though there may be an odd stunted fir or 

 two on the southern boundary. There is a cart, road across 

 the farm to Kirkheaton, but it is a wild and bleak spot, rising 



