CHAPTER V. 



The Moors. 



I HAVE mentioned above that the moor was " lent " to 

 my father, for in those days so little were English moors 

 thought of that Mr. Hildyard, the owner, who also hired 

 a Scotch moor, most kindly would take no rent for it. 

 The following year, however, my father insisted upon 

 paying something, so Mr. Hildyard at last consented to 

 take £100. Now, it would command a high sum if let 

 for the season. Another famous moor in Yorkshire was 

 given up about that time as not being worth the £36 

 per annum for which it was rented. It now, however, 

 is taken by a syndicate, and over 2000 brace have been 

 killed on it in a season. No doubt it is " driving " 

 that has so increased the value of these moors ; the birds 

 were there formerly, but they could not be got at, 

 and if the shooting was to be restricted to " over dogs," 

 the sporting rights would no doubt fall again to their 

 original estimate. 



On the Durham moor " driving " had been practised 

 in very early times, though it fell into disuse again for 

 a short time. Horsley belonged originally to the Bishop 

 of Durham, and the present " drives " were laid out by 

 his keeper so long ago as 1803, some of the butts being 

 in exactly the same state as, when made by him. The 

 pattern of them is very primitive, being simply a straight 



