THE TYNEDALE COUNTRY 159 



which never reached the Field, though as a general rule 

 there was some aocoiint of them in the local Press. I am in- 

 clined to think also tha,b more of these very good hunts have 

 been from east to west or vice versa than from north to 

 south or the reverse way. The Tynedale Friday country 

 ig a wonderful hunting locality, and etxceiDt for a 

 small district, at the southern end of the hunt which 

 has been mentioned it is entirely free from plough 

 land, and consistiS of wide grass pastures, for the most 

 part well drained, and separated by thorn fences, moat o£ 

 which are on a bank. The stone wall which is greatly in 

 evidence in the Monday country does not extend to the Stam- 

 fordham-Belsay district. Not thati there are no walls in this 

 district, but there are fewer on the eastern boiundary of the 

 hunt than on the west and north-western sides, and of course 

 hounds frequently run from one district to another. Stam- 

 fordham is the centre of this Friday countiry, and within two 

 or three miles of the village are many excellent coverts. On 

 the south-east of Stamfordham there are the Cheesebum 

 Grange coverts, and a mile or two further south fine gorses 

 called Dodley Whin and Harlow Hill Whin, which lastrnamed 

 place is looked after by the Bell family of Harlow Hill, and, 

 as far as my experience goes, generally holds not one but four 

 or five foxes, even quite late in the season. From Harlow Hill 

 foxes may go to the strong riverside covert, of Horsley Wood, 

 or they may go to the Cheeseburn district, and this is what 

 I have seen them do most frequently. All hunting people, 

 however, know thati it is impossible to be certain as to which 

 way any particular fox may go from any given covert. Indeed, 

 one of the greati charms of the sport, of hunting is its infinite 

 variety. Hounds may draw a covert, half a dozen times in a 

 few weeks, find every time, and never go twice over the same 

 line. There are, howeiver, as most hunting men of experience 

 know, certain foxes from time to time who will make some 

 particular point with great regularity. Such foxes are to be 

 found occasionally in every countiry, and :as a rule such foxes 

 are hardy customers and tricky, able to baffle hounds time 

 after time, but generally caughti at last. Sometimes it happems 

 that huntsmen. Masters, and even some of the field may know 

 these " regulars " by sight, and my old friend the late John 



