148 HUNTING IN MANY COUNTRIES. 



so long as that of the TVnedale from Pity M© to Biddlesitone, 

 which is in the present Coquetdale country, many miles north- 

 west of Rothbury, and just over twenty miles from the place of 

 finding. The run from Capheaton to Hareshaw Head shows a 

 point of almost thirteen miles, but worked out on the map, 

 by the few names of places which are given, it shows that 

 hounds went well over the twenty miles. A twenty-mile 

 point is a thing which a man who hunts all his life may never 

 fall in for, and then if hounds do happen to make one it is 

 good odds against any particular individual lasting to the end. 

 Personally, in a fairly long experience, I have never seen a 

 longer point than fourteen miles with foxhounds, and one 

 of about seventeen, on two occasions, with staghounds. 



The long point with foxhounds was with the Ledbury, 

 who ran from Bosbury, close by their kennels of that day, 

 to the banks of the Wye near Holme Lacy, most of the 

 hunt taking place in the South Hereford country. That 

 was during the mastership of the late Mr. Charles Morrell, 

 and hounds were running between four and five hours, and 

 probably changed more than once. Of points of from seven 

 to ten miles I have ridden scores, but I imagine the ten miles 

 is not very often exceeded, and if one looks carefully through 

 the returns of sport which are sent to the Field at the end of 

 the season it will be found that from all over the country — 

 including Scotland and Ireland — there are rarely more than 

 half a dozen runs mentioned which had a point of ten miles 

 and upwards, and sometimes not so many. Where foxes are 

 numerous long points are less frequent than where the supply 

 is limited, and in many hunts season after season is got 

 through without a point of more than half a dozen miles, and 

 yet the sport may be remarkably good. There is something 

 fascinatinjg about a long point, more especially, perhaps, 

 when a neighbouring country is invaded; but a long point 

 does not invariably mean a really good hunt. For example, I 

 remember a hunt in which a ten-mile point was made, in 

 a thinly populated country, and where the fox had four dis- 

 tinct spells of road running, aud in this case it meant that 

 just about half the distance was done on the road. It is true 

 that the roads of that particular hunt were for the most part 

 sandy lanes, and not main roads; but the thing became very 



