158 HUNTING IN MANY COUNTRIES. 



muir, and veoy few would have aeen the finish except that 

 after leaving there hounds were always on the outside of the 

 field. The longest run they would ever have except that 

 across the Coquet which you mention was one from Belsay to 

 Shitliagton Crags, which he could not reach. The late 'Reiv. 

 James Allgood had a pack at Nunwick, and old Joe Buchous, 

 who is still living, saw fox, hounds, and field all in the Tyne 

 together, the fox having lain down on a stone in the river 

 at Lee Hall. I inclose a letter from Mrs. R. Bell, nee All- 

 good, describing it, and it and these notes may interest you. 

 — Sincerely yours, John Robson." 



" Drew Bitchfield first, and found; ran through Bygate, 

 which was an open covert, Belsay Dene, skirted Capheaton, 

 through Lake Plantation, Great Law, left Merryshields on 

 right, past Great Bavington, New Onstead, left Thockrington 

 on south, past North Heugh, across Watling Street at Water- 

 falls, leaving Tone to the south, past Lowshield Green, down to 

 Lee Hall; crossed North Tyne there, up the hills, crossed Belling- 

 ham turnpike, and killed him in the open at Coat HilL The 

 fox, ho'unds, and horses were all in the river together at Lee 

 Hall; the fox jumped up on Lee Hall Islands. The country 

 was very dry indeed. Jim Firr, the whip, was the first into 

 the river. Those up were Major Bell (the Master), Jim Firr, 

 Swan and Mather, and J. Allgood. The only check — could 

 hardly be called a check — ^was at Lowshield Green, Swan was, 

 I think, a North Countryman, a very light weight, who waa 

 very keen, called ' Dickie's Swan,' mentioned in that ' Run 

 with the Tynedale Hounds ' which I expect you have; he 

 once cried when he missed a run ! Mather, I think, waa a 

 very hard riding farmer ; do you know whetre he lived ? Mr. 

 Rid dell, of Cheeseburn, had a bad fall over that wall running 

 west from North Onstead ; His Reverence often showed me the 

 place, and Uncle Hunter stopped with him. He also often 

 showed me where they killed the fox, close to that old tall 

 thorn hedge which is between the road and the Coat Hill 

 Plantation." 



There is no doubt whatever that the Tynedale hounds have 

 had over a period of years many hiints of great length, and 

 at various times when I have been hundreds of miles away I 

 have heard of fine hunts and great points the particulars of 



